President Donald Trump said he ordered “multiple” strikes against suspected terrorist targets in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas Day.
In a post on Truth Social on Thursday evening, the president wrote that the “powerful and deadly” strikes targeted Islamic State terrorists, whom he blamed for attacking and killing Christians in the country.
No further information about the strikes was immediately available.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared Trump's post his own account Xadding that he is “grateful to the Nigerian government for its support and cooperation.”
The Nigerian government, as well as experts and scientists previously said Trump's portrayal of the security situation in the West African country is misleading because people of all faiths have suffered at the hands of Islamist extremists and other groups. Wednesday evening An explosion at a mosque in northeastern Nigeria killed five people and injured 35.
The country's population is largely divided between Muslims, living mainly in the north, and Christians in the south.
IN Christmas Eve postNigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wrote on X that he was praying for peace in the country, especially between different religions.
“I am willing to do everything in my power to advance religious freedom in Nigeria and protect Christians, Muslims and all Nigerians from violence,” he wrote.
Tinubu wrote in a message dated November 1 on the platform that “the characterization of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant country does not reflect our national reality.” He added that the country and its government “oppose and do not encourage religious persecution.”
The US has recently taken steps punish Nigeria for its alleged failure to protect Christians.
In October, Trump again included Nigeria on a list of countries that the United States believes violate religious freedom. Earlier this week, Nigeria was added to the list of US travel ban countries that have partial restrictions and entry restrictions in place.
The US and Nigeria have created a joint task force to work on security, according to US Republican Rep. Riley Moore, who recently visited the African country.
