Terrorism: Trump justifies US air strikes against IS group, targets in Nigeria

*United States President Donald Trump confirms the American country’s armed forces launched a ‘powerful and deadly strike’ against the Islamic State (IS) group, in Sokoto State, North-western Nigeria

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

United States (US) President Donald Trump has confirmed the American country’s armed forces launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against the Islamic State (IS) group in Sokoto State, North-western Nigeria.

ConsumerConnect reports President Trump, in a message via his social media account on Truth Social late Thursday, December 25, 2025, confirmed the development, and described IS as “terrorist scum”, accusing the deadly group of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”.

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It is recalled the US President November 2025, had directed the country’s military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups.

Earlier, the US Department of Defence had shared a screenshot from a video released by the US Defence Department.

The video clip appeared to be showing a missile being launched from a military vessel.

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President Trump disclosed the US launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against the Islamic State (IS) group in North-western of the West African country.

The US President also described IS as ” terrorist scum”, accusing the group of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians” in Nigeria.

According to him, the US military “executed numerous perfect strikes”, while the US Africa Command (Africom) later reported that the US forces executed the attack on terrorists Thursday, in Sokoto State, in co-ordination with Nigeria.

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Speaking with BBC on the coordinated attack on IS group in the Northern region, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister for Foreign Affairs, confirmed that the offensive against the deadly group was a “joint operation” targeting “terrorists”, and it “has nothing to do with a particular religion.”

Though naming IS specifically, Ambassador Tuggar said the operation had been planned “for quite some time” and had used intelligence information provided by the Nigerian side.

The Minister did not rule out further strikes, adding that this depended on “decisions to be taken by the leadership of the two countries.”

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Restating his administration’s warning to crush terror groups anywhere around the8 world, President Trump said that “under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth Thursday, expressed appreciation stating US Government was “grateful for Nigerian government support and cooperation”.

The Ddepartment provides for sanctions against countries “engaged in severe violations of religious freedom”.

Sequel to the announcement, President Tinubu has said that his administration is committed to working with the US and the international community to protect people of all faiths.

It is noted that Jihadist groups, such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in North-eastern Nigeria for over a decade.

Though their deadly activities have resulted in killing thousands of people, however most of these have been Muslims, according to Acled, a group which analyses political violence around the world, report stated.

Over the years, in Middle Belt Nigeria, there are also frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and farming groups, who are often Christian, over access to water and pasture.

Deadly cycles of tit-for-tat attacks have also seen thousands killed – but atrocities have been committed on both sides.

But human rights groups say there is no evidence that Christians have been disproportionately targeted.

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