Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that Nigeria contributed the intelligence that led to the United States’ bombing of terrorist targets in the country and formally approved the operation before it was carried out.
Tuggar revealed this on Friday while speaking on Channels Television, a day after the United States said it had carried out a counter-terrorism strike.
According to the minister, the operation was the result of continuing security collaboration between Nigeria and the United States, and it was not driven by religious reasons.
He said, “It’s Nigeria that provided the intelligence. I was on the phone yesterday for 19 minutes with Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the United States. 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 the collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.”
Tuggar stated that Nigeria had long sought deeper collaboration with the United States and other countries to combat terrorism, describing the strike as a vindication of the Tinubu administration’s security strategy.
The minister added, “Nigeria has remained consistent in its approach, which is to work with all partners that are committed to the fight against terrorism, irrespective of what religion, who the victims are, whether they are Muslims or Christians, and irrespective of what type of terrorism, be it terrorism being carried out in the name of one religion or the other, or indeed even banditry. So this is an ongoing process.
“We have been working closely with the Americans. This is what we’ve always been hoping for: to work with the Americans, work with other countries to combat terrorism, and stop the death of innocent Nigerians. So this is a vindication of the Tinubu administration.
“For those who thought that there was some foot-dragging or, you know, the government wasn’t doing enough, it is a clear indication that we are committed and we are prepared to work with all countries.”
He emphasized that the operation had nothing to do with religion, noting that its sole purpose was to protect innocent lives, whether Nigerian or foreign.
“It is not to do with religion; it is to do with protecting Nigerians and the 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 said.
The US President, Donald Trump, on Thursday confirmed the US carried out an airstrike targeting terrorist elements in Nigeria.
Chronicle NG reports that US officials said the operation was conducted based on shared intelligence and in coordination with Nigeria’s government, amid ongoing efforts to weaken extremist groups operating in parts of the country.
Months before the strike, Trump had warned that Washington will take action against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria, citing recurrent attacks and atrocities against Christian communities.
Trump’s remarks at the time elicited conflicting reactions in Nigeria, with officials claiming that the country’s insecurity was not religiously motivated and that both Muslims and Christians had been victims of terrorism and banditry.
For years, Nigeria has faced a number of security concerns, including insurgency by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the Northeast, as well as banditry and terror strikes in the Northwest, which have resulted in thousands of deaths and extensive displacement.
Although the United States has historically helped Nigeria through intelligence sharing and military cooperation, direct US strikes on Nigerian soil are rare and frequently attract public attention.
