Hegseth expressed the appreciation while meeting with a Nigerian delegation that visited the United States shortly after President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a "Country of Particular Concern."
Pete Hegseth, the United States War Secretary, has publicly thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and support following coordinated military strikes against terrorist targets in the country’s North-West region.
Hegseth expressed the appreciation while meeting with a Nigerian delegation that visited the United States shortly after President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a "Country of Particular Concern."
The meeting came hours after Washington announced it had carried out a major operation targeting terror enclaves in the region.
According to reports, the strikes were conducted on Thursday and formed part of broader counterterrorism efforts by the US Department of War.
Hegseth said the operation demonstrated the readiness of his department to act decisively against extremist groups.
He noted that President Trump had earlier made Washington’s position clear on the need to halt the killing of civilians, particularly Christians, in Nigeria and other parts of the world.
“The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end,” Hegseth said.
Emphasising the role played by Nigerian authorities, the US War Secretary acknowledged the cooperation that made the operation possible, adding that terror groups were confronted with the consequences of continued violence.
He said the terrorists learnt that his department “is always ready.”
“The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation,” Hegseth stated.
The comments underline growing military collaboration between Nigeria and the United States amid renewed international attention on insecurity in the country’s North-West and wider counterterrorism challenges.
Earlier, the Nigerian government confirmed that President Bola Tinubu approved the recent United States airstrikes against terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-Western region, dismissing claims that the operation violated the country’s sovereignty.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, disclosed this on Friday, hours after the United States Department of War and President Trump announced that American forces had carried out strikes against terrorists operating in the region.
According to Tuggar, the airstrikes were conducted with Nigeria’s full knowledge and consent, following consultations at the highest level of government.
The minister said President Tinubu personally gave the go-ahead for the operation, stressing that the action was part of joint efforts to combat terrorism and protect Nigerian lives and property.
“Now that the US is cooperating, we would do it jointly, and we would ensure, just as the President emphasised yesterday before he gave the go-ahead, that it must be made clear that it is a joint operation, and it is not targeting any religion nor simply in the name of one religion or the other,” Tuggar said while speaking on Channels TV.
He emphasised that Nigeria remains a plural and multi-religious society and that security operations are not directed at any faith group.
“We are a multi-religious country, and we are working with partners like the US to fight terrorism and safeguard the lives and properties of Nigerians,” the minister said.
The airstrikes have sparked public debate, with some critics describing the action as a violation of Nigeria’s territorial integrity and an infringement on national sovereignty.
However, Tuggar rejected such concerns, insisting that the Federal Government would not authorise any military action that undermines independence or territorial control.
He maintained that the strikes were carried out within the framework of international cooperation and mutual respect between Nigeria and its allies.
The minister’s clarification comes amid heightened security challenges in Nigeria’s North-West, where armed groups have continued to carry out attacks on communities, security personnel and critical infrastructure.