The Federal Government has confirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu authorized the United States to carry out airstrikes against terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West region.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, disclosed this on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, hours after the United States Department of Defense and President Donald Trump announced that American forces had conducted strikes on Islamic State (ISIS) elements operating in the region.
Tuggar explained that the operation was a joint effort between Nigeria and the United States, stressing that it was neither unilateral nor targeted at any religious group.
“Now that the US is cooperating, we would do it jointly, and we would ensure, just as the President emphasised before he gave the go-ahead, that it is made clear that this is a joint operation and not targeted at any religion,” the minister said.
He noted that Nigeria remains a multi-religious country and that the collaboration with international partners is strictly aimed at combating terrorism and protecting lives and property.
Addressing concerns that the strikes could amount to a breach of Nigeria’s sovereignty, Tuggar dismissed such claims, insisting that the Federal Government would not approve any action that undermines the country’s territorial integrity.
“It is a collaboration. It is what we have been calling for,” he said.
The minister further revealed that Nigerian intelligence played a central role in the operation, adding that he personally engaged with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, ahead of the strikes.
“It was Nigeria that provided the intelligence for the US strike. I spoke with the US Secretary of State for 19 minutes before the strike, and we agreed to seek President Tinubu’s approval, which he gave. I also spoke with him again five minutes before the strike was launched,” Tuggar stated.
On Thursday, the US Department of Defense said multiple ISIS fighters were killed in the airstrikes, which it said were conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities.
President Trump also confirmed the operation, describing the strikes as decisive action against terrorist groups and reiterating his administration’s stance against the spread of extremist violence.
