The Nigerian Air Force will assume primary responsibility for counterterrorism operations following U.S. airstrikes on Christmas Day targeting jihadist groups in Sokoto State, northwestern Nigeria, according to a Nigerian official. The United States will continue to provide reconnaissance and intelligence support for Nigerian operations under a new security arrangement. The December 25 strikes targeted militants linked to the Islamic State, the Lakurawa jihadist group, and armed gangs known as bandits, who operate across Nigeria’s northwest and north-central regions. Both governments reported that an unspecified number of fighters were killed, though civilian casualties were also reported, including three people injured in Offa, Kwara State, from falling munitions debris.
Nigeria has faced a jihadist insurgency since 2009, concentrated in the northeast, alongside rising activity from armed “bandit” groups in other parts of the country. Analysts note possible links between Lakurawa militants in Sokoto and the Islamic State’s Sahel Province in neighboring Niger, though this connection is disputed. The U.S. strikes followed a diplomatic effort that began in October, during which then President Donald Trump labeled the violence in Nigeria as “persecution” and “genocide” of Christians claims rejected by Abuja and independent observers. Ahead of the strikes, Nigeria and the U.S. declared a “strengthened partnership,” and American reconnaissance flights over Nigeria had intensified in the weeks prior.
While the Pentagon described the strikes as a “one-off event,” Nigerian officials framed them as a joint operation. The Christmas strikes mark a shift in U.S. involvement, moving from direct action toward an intelligence-sharing role, while Nigeria takes a leading role in ongoing counterterrorism operations.
