₦airaland Forum

The Nigeria government says President Bola Tinubu gave the go-ahead for the US strikes against terrorists in the country’s North-Western region.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, said this on Friday, hours after the US Department of War and President Donald Trump announced the North American nation had conducted strikes against the terrorists.

“Now that the US is cooperating, we would do it jointly, and we would ensure, just as the President emphasised yesterday before he gave the go-ahead, that it must be made clear that it is a joint operation, and it is not targeting any religion nor simply in the name of one religion or the other,” the minister said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“We are a multi-religious country, and we are working with partners like the US to fight terrorism and safeguard the lives and properties of Nigerians,” the minister said.

Some have viewed the strikes as a violation of the country’s territorial integrity, but Tuggar says the Federal Government would not take any actions that would violate the country’s sovereignty.

“It is a collaboration, it is what we have been calling for,” Tuggar said on the breakfast show.

“It was Nigeria that provided intelligence for the US strike in Nigeria. I spoke with the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, for 19 minutes before the strike, and we agreed to talk to President Tinubu for his go-ahead, and he gave it,” the Bauchi-born minister said.

“After the approval, I spoke again with Marco Rabio five minutes before the strike was launched against the terrorists.”

On Thursday, the Department of Defense said “multiple ISIS terrorists” were killed in the strikes conducted at the behest of the Nigerian government.

Trump also announced the strikes, saying, “The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing. Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.

“May God bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” he wrote on Truth Social.

Although the details of the attack were not stated, the US Department of War later published a short video clip showing an airstrike in Nigeria.

The US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, and the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strikes in Sokoto were in “coordination with Nigerian authorities.”

“The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation,” Hegseth wrote on X.

Thursday’s strikes come several weeks after the Republican president said Christians in Nigeria faced an “existential threat” that amounted to “genocide”.

Trump placed Nigeria back on the list of “Countries of Particular Concern,” threatened military action in the West African nation if the issue is not addressed. He later imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians.

But the Nigerian authorities rejected the framing of the violence in the country as religious, saying people of diverse faiths are targeted in killings in the nation.

Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2025/12/26/tinubu-gave-go-ahead-for-us-strikes-it-was-a-joint-operation-fg/

okay
im expecting sultan sokoto reply

Anything to make you people sleep well at night, even if lies are involved..

We agree

He also said in this mornings interviews that if it is deemed necessary by the US department of war and the Nigerian Defense, more strikes could be coming.

Also the US and Nigeria have been running collaborative recognizance on all terrorist spots since November. Nigerian defense still talked about it on Dec 24th.

They never hid this collaboration from the public.

I go fear say make I no talk say e be like say this Trump guy don sabi the work wey he suppose do for us over there too well.

This was Tinubus Christmas message on Christmas morning in Nigeria.

He tagged Donald Trump. Some people on twitter are saying it was the Judas kiss signalling to Trump that it’s go-time.

I don laugh tire for twitter.

This is very commendable from president TINUBU and the US

The response is a welcome development.

So a whole Nigeria is incapable of carrying out airstrike by themselves in their own territory, but the flew into Benin Republic to drop bombs to reverse a military coup?

Im not sure how to feel about this whole situation. Its dicey.

You had the intelligence but couldn't use it

I smell lies falsehood and propaganda

Toh

The terrorists in Nigeria are now sweating. The collaboration would expose them all.

Provided intelligence that you could not achieve over the years there by allowing the terrorists to operate at free flow level ? You're deluded

The president of the United States doesn't need go ahead from the clown government representing a disgraced country.
Is this government not even embarrassed? You are claiming you permitted another government to strike inside your territory? Why are these people so shameless?

Nigeria couldn't even conduct ISR operations until the US came to do it. Not that we didn't have the money to buy the planes for that but a complete lack of willingness to do so. I know for a fact the airforce has a manned plane capable of doing ISRs since 2012. It was a properly driven plane so I can understand them not using it since the terrorists operating in Nigeria have powerful AA guns. But there are other platforms available. I think our military is just functionally lazy.

All this propaganda and trying to safe face won't work..... dem been born am make him refuse if US wan strike before?.

yarimo:
This is very commendable from president TINUBU and the US

Highly commendable what the US did. The terrorism is unpresidented

This is great news. It's a joint operation and not a violation of Nigeria's sovereignty. May God bless Nigeria for ever!

Continue dey lie. Na u sabi

The Emefiele-led CBN was a complete failure.

Na these airstrikes go finally lead to the breakup of this forced Geographical Contraption called Nigeria.

yarimo:
This is very commendable from president TINUBU and the US

U dey believe Nigerian govt? Which intelligence them get? US has all the intelligence she needs. Nigeria has nothing. All of ur data including govt data dey US company hands. Na naija needs intelligence from US sef

leanonme82:
Source: https://www.channelstv.com/2025/12/26/tinubu-gave-go-ahead-for-us-strikes-it-was-a-joint-operation-fg/

Shame no dey catch them?
Always looking for excuses to cover for their incapabilities

So what happened to sovereignty?

Damage control.

Don't flatter Tinumbu as if he had a choice.

Lol clowns 🤡
As if he have the power no say no.

you see where the wrong intelligence come from. Lol

America said the airstrike was targeted at ISIS terrorists. Did they actually hit or mishit the target? That's one big question I'm expecting sensible Nigerians to ask.

.. but unfortunately they are all preoccupied with useless banters about Tinubu vs Trump

That lie is a fat and obese lie.

Try another one! Next!

The chief accountant alagbado Pablo Escobar can't talk to the US. Dem no born am well.

That's a f**king lie. Intelligence was NEVER shared with the Nigerian government with regards the air strikes.

bejeria101:
That lie is a fat and obese lie.

Try another one! Next!

The chief accountant alagbado Pablo Escobar can't talk to the US. Dem no born am well.

Correction.... Dem nor born Tinubu papa well to liaise with the US

So, Tinubu knows their spot, he could send fighter jet to another country but couldn't Strick terrorist in his own country.

This country is complicated