US forces have carried out airstrikes against suspected Daesh targets in north-western Nigeria, with Abuja confirming it cooperated with Washington in the operation…reports Asian Lite News
US President Donald Trump said late on Thursday that the United States had launched a “powerful and deadly strike” against Daesh in Nigeria, marking a rare direct American military action on Nigerian soil. The Nigerian government confirmed on Friday that it had cooperated with the US in the operation, describing it as the result of intelligence sharing and strategic coordination between the two allies.
Nigeria’s government spokesperson, Mohammed Idris, said the strikes were launched shortly after midnight from the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean. He said the operation involved “16 GPS-guided precision” missiles as well as MQ-9 Reaper drones. According to Idris, the targets were areas used as “staging grounds by foreign” Daesh fighters who had entered Nigeria from the Sahel, the vast semi-arid region along the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. He did not provide any figures for casualties among the militants.
The strikes were felt on the ground in parts of Sokoto state in north-western Nigeria, an area that has in recent years seen rising levels of banditry and militant activity. Residents of Jabo, a village near where the strikes reportedly landed, described scenes of panic and confusion as explosions were heard close to the outskirts of the settlement. Villagers said there were no casualties among civilians.
Several residents said Jabo itself had not previously been attacked in the violence that the United States describes as widespread across parts of northern Nigeria, although neighbouring villages have frequently been targeted. Abubakar Sani, who lives on the edge of Jabo, recalled the moment the strikes hit. “Our rooms began to shake, and then fire broke out,” he said, describing the “intense heat” that followed the explosions.
Sani urged the authorities to do more to protect civilians. “The Nigerian government should take appropriate measures to protect us as citizens,” he said. “We have never experienced anything like this before.” His comments reflect growing anxiety among residents who say they were not warned ahead of the operation and were left uncertain about its scope and purpose.
The airstrikes come after months of strained relations between Washington and Abuja. The Trump administration has repeatedly claimed that Nigeria is experiencing a genocide of Christians, an allegation that Nigerian officials have firmly rejected, arguing that violence in the country affects both Christians and Muslims and is driven by a complex mix of insurgency, criminality and local conflicts.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the latest operation marked a shift in cooperation between the two governments. Yusuf Tuggar, the foreign minister, described the strikes as a “new phase of an old conflict” and suggested that further operations could follow. “For us, it is something that has been ongoing,” Tuggar added, referring to years of attacks across different parts of the country that have targeted people of various faiths.
Security analysts say the lack of clear information has added to fear among local communities. Bulama Bukarti, a specialist on sub-Saharan African security, said residents’ anxiety was compounded by the cordoning off of the affected areas by Nigerian security forces, which has prevented access and fuelled speculation. Bukarti argued that greater openness from the authorities could help to calm tensions. “The more opaque the governments are, the more panic there will be on the ground, and that is what will escalate tensions,” he said.
Analysts also question which group was the intended target of the strikes. Some believe the operation may have been aimed at Lakurawa, a relatively new armed group operating in north-western Nigeria. The group’s first recorded attack dates back to around 2018, though the Nigerian government only formally acknowledged its presence last year. Security researchers say Lakurawa is largely made up of fighters from the Sahel, rather than local recruits.
However, experts caution that links between Lakurawa and Daesh have not been conclusively established. Nigeria is already home to the Daesh West African Province, an affiliate of Daesh that operates mainly in the north-east and is locked in a long-running power struggle with Boko Haram. “What might have happened is that, working with the American government, Nigeria identified Lakurawa as a threat and identified camps that belong to the group,” Bukarti said, underlining the uncertainty surrounding the operation.
On the ground, the aftermath of the strikes has left residents unsettled. Aliyu Garba, a village leader in Jabo, said debris from the explosions was scattered over a wide area and that villagers rushed to the site once it was safe. Some collected pieces of metal from the wreckage, hoping to sell them, raising concerns about injuries from unexploded or hazardous material.
For others, the psychological impact has been profound. Balira Sa’idu, a 17-year-old resident preparing for her wedding, said the strikes had overshadowed what should have been a joyful time. “I am supposed to be thinking about my wedding, but right now I am panicking,” she said. “The strike has changed everything. My family is afraid, and I don’t even know if it is safe to continue with the wedding plan in Jabo.”
