By Ghazali Ibrahim
U.S. President Donald J. Trump has confirmed that, under his direction, the United States carried out deadly airstrikes on ISIS-affiliated militants in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025.
The strikes, targeting extremists reportedly involved in the killing of Christians, mark one of the most forceful U.S. military actions in West Africa in recent years.
In a statement posted on his verified social media account, Trump said the attacks were a direct response to continued violence against innocent Christians in the region, violence he claims he had previously warned terrorists to cease or “face hell.”
“These terrorists have been targeting and viciously killing primarily innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries,” Trump wrote.
“I had previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay and tonight, there was.”
The president praised the precision of the U.S. Department of Defense, saying the strikes were “perfectly executed” and demonstrate the U.S.’s military capability and global resolve to combat radical Islamic terrorism.
According to defense officials and AFRICOM, the strikes targeted hideouts linked to Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) operatives and were conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the collaboration, noting the attacks were part of broader counter-terrorism cooperation.
While Trump’s comments emphasized the targeting of Christians, Nigerian security analysts caution that extremist violence in the region affects both Christians and Muslims and is part of a broader insurgency.
This is not the first time Trump has raised alarms over religious-based killings in Africa. He frequently criticized international inaction in regions plagued by Islamist extremism, particularly where Christian communities are under threat.
His Christmas message closed with a blunt warning: “There will be many more [dead terrorists] if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
