SaharaReporters earlier reported that on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, President Donald Trump said the U.S. carried out what he described as “numerous precise strikes” against terrorists in northwest Nigeria, claiming they were responsible for mass killings of Christians.
Nigeria's Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has stated that Nigeria provided crucial intelligence and was in direct communication with the United States prior to a recent counterterrorism strike.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025, President Donald Trump said the U.S. carried out what he described as “numerous precise strikes” against terrorists in northwest Nigeria, claiming they were responsible for mass killings of Christians.
Trump said the operation was conducted under his authority as Commander-in-Chief and targeted ISIS-linked fighters operating in parts of Nigeria that have suffered years of violence and insecurity.
According to Trump, the militants had been “viciously killing, primarily innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even centuries.” He added that he had previously warned the groups to stop the killings or face consequences.
The Nigerian government later confirmed, through the Minister of Foreign Affairs, that strikes had occurred in parts of northern Nigeria.
However, in a detailed account of events, Tuggar said he spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a 19-minute call ahead of the operation. During the conversation, the two agreed that Tuggar would consult President Bola Tinubu for approval.
Tuggar confirmed that he subsequently spoke with President Tinubu, who gave the go-ahead for the statement and action.
“The discussions made it clear that any statement issued would emphasise that the operation was a strike against terrorism, and part of ongoing joint operations and collaboration between Nigeria and the United States,” the minister said.
Tuggar stressed that the intervention was not linked to religion, but was aimed at protecting the lives of Nigerians and other innocent persons.
“It has nothing to do with religion. It is about protecting Nigerians and innocent lives, whether Nigerian or non-Nigerian,” he said.
"I was on the phone yesterday for 19 minutes with Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the United States.”
He continued, "We spoke extensively and we agreed that I was going to speak with President Tinubu, for President Tinubu to give the go-ahead and I did speak with him and it was agreed also that the statements that would follow would be statements that would show clearly that it is a strike against terrorism and that it is part of the ongoing joint operations between Nigeria and collaboration between Nigeria and the United States and that it is not to do with religion, it's to do with protecting Nigerians and innocent lives of either Nigerians or non-Nigerians. This was clear. We spoke twice.”
"We spoke for 19 minutes before the strike and then we spoke again for another five minutes before it went on," he added.