Nigeria says it shared intelligence to support US strikes on ISIS

Nigeria said it shared quality with the U.S. up of Christmas nighttime airstrikes connected ISIS targets successful the country.

The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed connected Friday that it was "engaged successful structured information cooperation" with different nations, including the U.S., adding that the practice "led to precision hits connected violent targets." The ministry said that the associated information efforts see the sharing of quality and strategical coordination.

"Nigeria reiterates that each counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding nationalist unity, and upholding the rights and dignity of each citizens, irrespective of religion oregon ethnicity. Terrorist unit successful immoderate signifier whether directed astatine Christians, Muslims, oregon different communities remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to planetary bid and security," the ministry wrote successful a connection posted connected X.

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Members of St Leo Catholic Church clasp a procession to people Palm Sunday successful Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria, connected April 13, 2025.  (Adekunle Ajayi/Getty Images)

President Donald Trump announced the Christmas nighttime airstrikes successful northwest Nigeria, saying the targets were ISIS militants who helium accused of sidesplitting Christians. The president besides included a informing that further attacks would instrumentality spot if the unit against Christians continued.

"Tonight, astatine my absorption arsenic Commander successful Chief, the United States launched a almighty and deadly onslaught against ISIS Terrorist Scum successful Northwest Nigeria, who person been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, guiltless Christians, astatine levels not seen for galore years, and adjacent Centuries!" Trump said Thursday connected Truth Social. 

"I person antecedently warned these Terrorists that if they did not halt the slaughtering of Christians, determination would beryllium hellhole to pay, and tonight, determination was. The Department of War executed galore cleanable strikes, arsenic lone the United States is susceptible of doing.

"Under my leadership, our Country volition not let Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper," helium continued. "May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dormant Terrorists, of which determination volition beryllium galore much if their slaughter of Christians continues."

A drone presumption of Christians departing St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church aft a Sunday wide successful Palmgrove, Lagos, Nigeria, Nov. 2, 2025.  (Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters)

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U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz, who has been outspoken astir the unit against Christians successful Nigeria, praised the strikes. The ambassador said the precision strikes showed Christians successful Nigeria and astir the satellite that Trump would "fight for them."

Last month, Trump threatened to "do things successful Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to beryllium blessed about" and "go into that present disgraced state guns-a-blazing."

That informing acceptable the signifier for the Christmas-night strikes, which Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said fulfilled the president’s request that the killings stop. Hegseth besides included successful a station connected X a notation to the U.S.-Nigeria practice that led to the strikes.

Gunmen prime up the belongings near down by worshippers who ran for screen aft proceeding gunshots, arsenic they locomotion into a Church successful Eruku, Kwara state, Nigeria, November 18, 2025, successful this representation obtained from societal media. (Social media/via Reuters)

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"The President was wide past month: the sidesplitting of guiltless Christians successful Nigeria (and elsewhere) indispensable end," Hegseth wrote connected X. "The [War Department] is ever ready, truthful ISIS recovered retired contiguous — connected Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian authorities enactment & cooperation. Merry Christmas!"

Christians and Christian institutions successful Nigeria person been nether onslaught successful caller months, prompting planetary outrage and drafting the ire of the Trump administration.

In November, equipped gunmen stormed the Christ Apostolic Church, killed 2 radical and kidnapped dozens. The 38 abducted worshipers were freed astir a week later.

This photograph released by the Christian Association of Nigeria shows the dormitories of St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary School aft gunmen abducted children and unit successful Papiri assemblage successful Nigeria, Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. (Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)

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The onslaught connected the Christ Apostolic Church was preceded and followed by attacks connected Christian schools successful Nigeria.

In the days earlier the attack, gunmen kidnapped 25 girls from a boarding schoolhouse successful Nigeria’s Kebbi State and killed astatine slightest 1 staffer. One of the girls managed to flight connected the aforesaid time arsenic the kidnapping, portion the remaining 24 were rescued astir a week later, The Associated Press reported.

Days aft the onslaught connected Christ Apostolic Church, equipped attackers raided the Saint Mary's School and kidnapped much than 300 students and staff. School officials said 50 of the students were capable to flight successful the pursuing days, portion 253 students and 12 teachers stay captive.

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.