Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, says the recent US airstrike on terrorist targets in the country was based on Nigerian intelligence and went ahead only after President Bola Tinubu gave formal approval.
Tuggar spoke on Channels Television on Friday, December 26, a day after Washington confirmed it had carried out the operation in Nigeria as part of its counter‑terrorism efforts.
He said the strike was a product of ongoing security cooperation between both countries and had nothing to do with religion.
“It’s Nigeria that provided the intelligence. I was on the phone yesterday for 19 minutes with Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the United States.
“We spoke extensively, and we agreed that I was going to speak with President Tinubu for President Tinubu to give the go-ahead.
“And I did speak with him and it was agreed also that the statements that would follow would be statements that would show clearly that it is a strike against terrorism and that it is part of the ongoing joint operations between Nigeria and collaboration between Nigeria and the United States,” Tuggar said.
He argued that the operation fits into the Tinubu administration’s broader security strategy of partnering with any country willing to help Nigeria defeat terrorism.
The minister added, “Nigeria has remained consistent in its approach, which is to work with all partners that are committed to the fight against terrorism, irrespective of what religion, who the victims are, whether they are Muslims or Christians, and irrespective of what type of terrorism, be it terrorism being carried out in the name of one religion or the other, or indeed even bandage. So this is an ongoing process.
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“We have been working closely with the Americans. This is what we’ve always been hoping for: to work with the Americans, work with other countries to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians. So this is a vindication of the Tinubu administration.
“For those who thought that there was some foot-dragging or, you know, the government wasn’t doing enough, it is a clear indication that we are committed and we are prepared to work with all countries.”
Tuggar insisted the mission was about protecting civilians, not favouring any faith.
“It is not to do with religion, it is to do with protecting Nigerians and the innocent lives of either Nigerians or non-Nigerians. This was clear. We spoke twice.
“We spoke for 19 minutes before the strike, and then we spoke again for another five minutes before it went on,” he said.
First Daily earlier reported that US President Donald Trump had on Thursday confirmed that American forces carried out an airstrike against suspected terrorist elements in Nigeria.
US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a post on X that the operation was based on shared intelligence and carried out “in coordination with Nigeria’s government,” as part of efforts to weaken extremist groups operating in parts of the country.
Trump had previously warned that the US could act against terrorist organisations in Nigeria, citing repeated attacks and what he described as “violence targeting Christian communities.”