The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would work to protect civilians regardless of their faith.
The Nigerian government said on Dec. 26 that the recent U.S. strikes on ISIS were part of a broader effort to ensure regional security while affirming its collaboration with the United States and other foreign partners.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria confirms that Nigerian authorities remain engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism,” a spokesperson for the ministry said in a post on social media.
The spokesman added that the efforts were guided by the protection of civilian lives, regardless of their faith or ethnicity.
“Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security,” the statement read.
The comments came after the Trump administration announced the Christmas Day strikes as a way to deter aggression against Christians.
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” President Donald Trump said in a post on TruthSocial.
The Christmas Day strikes in Sokoto state killed multiple terrorists, according to U.S. Africa Command.
“U.S. Africa Command is working with Nigerian and regional partners to increase counterterrorism cooperation efforts related to ongoing violence and threats against innocent lives,” Gen. Dagvin Anderson, who leads the command, said in a press release.
According to the Pew Research Center, Nigeria’s population was mostly Muslim (56.1 percent) and Christian (43.4 percent) as of 2020, with both groups seeing rapid growth in the prior decade.
The strikes followed an escalating focus by the Trump administration on ISIS and Christian persecution, in part amplified by rapper Nicki Minaj.
During a speech at the United Nations last month, Minaj thanked Trump for his attention to the issue.
“Sadly, this problem is not only a growing problem in Nigeria but also in so many other countries across the world, and it demands urgent action,” she said.
“And I want to be clear: Protecting Christians in Nigeria is not about taking sides or dividing people—it is about uniting humanity.”
By Sam Dorman
