Christmas Night Airstrikes Target ISIS in Nigeria
On Christmas night 2025, U.S. military forces conducted precision airstrikes against alleged Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria, with one rocket landing in the village of Jabo in Sokoto state. While Nigerian authorities confirmed the joint operation with the United States, villagers reported finding bomb fragments scattered across agricultural land behind a local primary school, though no casualties were reported.
The strikes, which President Donald Trump described on Truth Social as retaliation for ISIS killing Christians 'on a scale not seen in years, even centuries,' have sparked debate about the nature of Nigeria's security crisis and the framing of religious conflict. 'The bomb fell and broke into many pieces. There were two large fragments, one of which was carried by two people,' one Jabo resident told Al Jazeera.
Conflicting Narratives Emerge
While Trump framed the operation as protecting Christians from Islamic extremists, Nigerian officials and security experts pushed back against this characterization. Nigeria's Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar emphasized that the operation was a military mission against terrorism with no religious dimension. 'This was part of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, aimed solely at combating terrorism and protecting innocent lives, not influenced by religious considerations,' Tuggar stated in an interview with Channels Television.
Security analysts note that Nigeria's complex security landscape involves multiple armed groups with varying motivations. According to Wikipedia data on Boko Haram, the conflict has killed tens of thousands since 2009, with most victims being Muslims in the predominantly Islamic north. 'Trump is distorting the facts and taking them out of context,' Nigerian security experts told reporters, noting that jihadist violence in Nigeria has primarily affected Muslim communities.
Villagers Describe Terrifying Experience
Residents of Jabo described a terrifying Christmas night as explosions shook their homes and turned the sky bright red for hours. 'The whole town shook,' one villager told News24. 'We thought it was an attack by armed groups, but then we saw the fragments in our fields.' According to U.S. News reports, the strikes targeted the Lakurawa group, a relatively new security threat composed primarily of foreign fighters from Africa's Sahel region.
The timing of the strikes on Christmas Day appears politically calculated, according to U.S. correspondent Rudy Bouma. 'By striking on Christmas, Trump can present the action as protecting Christians and score points with his Christian base,' Bouma noted. Republican politicians including Senator Ted Cruz have long spoken out about violence against Christians in Nigeria.
Broader Security Implications
The incident highlights Nigeria's ongoing security challenges and its complex relationship with international partners. Nigeria has struggled with violence from various groups including Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other armed factions. According to Sahara Reporters, the U.S. has recently relaxed restrictions under the Leahy Law, allowing Nigeria to purchase American military hardware after years of limitations tied to human rights concerns.
Nigerian Senator Shehu Sani warned on social media that 'the security and peace of our country lies in our own hands and not in the hands of the U.S. or any other country. They cannot fight our battle forever.' This sentiment reflects broader concerns about sovereignty and the long-term sustainability of foreign military interventions.
Looking Ahead
Foreign Minister Tuggar indicated that Nigeria would seek to cooperate with more countries in the fight against terrorism, though it remains unclear whether additional U.S. strikes will follow. The incident has exposed tensions between Washington's framing of Nigeria's security crisis as religiously motivated and Nigeria's insistence on viewing it as a complex mix of terrorism, ethnic conflict, and economic factors.
As villagers in Jabo assess the damage and consider their safety, the broader questions about international intervention, sovereignty, and the true nature of Nigeria's security challenges remain unresolved. With Nigeria's population of approximately 220 million roughly split between Christians and Muslims, and most violence occurring in the predominantly Muslim north, experts caution against oversimplifying the conflict along religious lines.