Nigeria's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has revealed that Nigerian authorities supplied the critical intelligence that enabled the United States to carry out precision airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS) militants in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day.
During an interview with Channels TV, Tuggar emphasized the depth of bilateral coordination, disclosing: “It was Nigeria that provided intelligence for the US strike in Nigeria. We spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio twice: once 19 minutes before the strike and another time 5 minutes before it went on.”
The minister described the operation as a longstanding joint effort between the two nations, rooted in ongoing security cooperation and intelligence sharing to combat terrorism.
"Now that the US is collaborating with us, we will do it jointly. We ensure that, just as President (Tinubu) emphasized yesterday before he gave the go-ahead, it must be made clear, even in the framing of what comes out of it, that it is a joint operation and not targeting any religion."
He stressed that the strikes targeted terrorists without regard to religion, reaffirming Nigeria's commitment to protecting all citizens irrespective of faith.
The revelation shows Nigeria's active role in the strikes, which US officials said eliminated multiple ISIS fighters in Sokoto State camps.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously thanked Nigeria for its support, while the Nigerian government has highlighted mutual respect for sovereignty in such partnerships.
Tuggar's comments come amid heightened international focus on regional security threats, with both countries pledging continued collaboration to dismantle extremist networks.
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