Abuja / Washington – Nigeria’s approval of United States airstrikes on its territory on Christmas Day has triggered intense debate across Africa and beyond, raising questions about sovereignty, regional geopolitics and the growing entanglement of domestic Nigerian security challenges with foreign political agendas.
The strikes, announced by US President Donald Trump on Christmas evening, were described by Washington as a “powerful and deadly” operation against militants linked to the Islamic State group operating in north-western Nigeria. Trump said the action followed weeks of criticism directed at Abuja over what he characterised as a failure to protect Christian communities from extremist violence.
In a social media post, the US president provided no operational details and did not specify the scale of damage or casualties. A US Department of Defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, later confirmed that the operation was conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities and had received formal approval from Abuja.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the cooperation involved intelligence-sharing and strategic coordination conducted “in a manner consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared commitments to regional and global security”.
The Associated Press said it was unable to independently verify the impact of the strikes.
Security crisis and multiple armed groups
Nigeria is battling a complex and multi-layered security crisis involving several armed groups. These include Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which operate mainly in the northeast, as well as lesser-known groups such as Lakurawa, which has gained prominence in parts of the north-west, including Sokoto and Kebbi states.
Security analysts believe the US strikes may have targeted Lakurawa, which has increasingly carried out lethal attacks on rural communities and security forces.
“Lakurawa is a group that is actually controlling territory in parts of Sokoto and neighbouring states,” said Malik Samuel, a Nigerian security researcher at Good Governance Africa. “The northwest has seen the incursion of ideologically driven violent extremist groups, largely due to the near absence of the state and security forces in key hotspots.”
While Trump framed the strikes as a response to attacks on Christians, analysts and local residents stress that Nigeria’s violence cuts across religious lines.
“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,” Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, adding that victims of extremist violence include people of all faiths.
Sovereignty concerns and regional politics
The decision by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to approve foreign airstrikes on Nigerian soil has drawn sharp criticism from political commentators and regional observers, some of whom describe it as unprecedented in Africa’s post-independence history.
Critics argue that the move risks setting a troubling precedent by allowing external powers to intervene militarily in Nigeria’s internal security affairs, particularly at a time when the United States is reducing its overall military footprint across Africa.
The development has also revived debate over Nigeria’s role in wider Sahelian politics. Tinubu, who currently serves as chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has taken a hard line against military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, all of which have experienced coups in recent years and have accused France and Western powers of undue interference.
Tensions were heightened earlier this year when Burkina Faso forced a Nigerian Air Force aircraft to land, alleging it was on an espionage mission. The incident prompted strong rhetoric from Nigerian commentators, even as critics now question Abuja’s willingness to permit foreign military action within its own borders.
Some analysts link these developments to strategic competition over Niger’s uranium resources, a critical input for nuclear energy and defence industries. France and the United States have both seen their influence challenged in the Sahel following the wave of coups and the expulsion of Western forces from several countries.
US domestic politics and international fallout
Trump has maintained pressure on Nigeria since returning to office, ordering the Pentagon last month to prepare options for military action and pushing the State Department to impose visa restrictions on Nigerians accused of involvement in religious violence. The US has also designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on X on Christmas night that American forces were “always ready” and praised Nigerian government cooperation, signing off with “Merry Christmas”.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with an estimated 220 million people, is almost evenly divided between Christians and Muslims. Analysts note that while some attacks have religious dimensions, many others stem from competition over land and resources, criminal banditry, communal rivalries and longstanding governance failures.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with insecurity on multiple fronts, the Christmas Day strikes have intensified scrutiny of President Tinubu’s foreign and security policy, with critics warning that the country risks being drawn into broader geopolitical contests that may do little to address the root causes of violence at home.
