U.S.-Backed Airstrikes Hit Two ISIS-Linked Camps in Nigeria, Government Says

U.S.-backed airstrikes in Nigeria hit two Islamic State-linked camps in the Bauni forest of Sokoto State, targeting foreign fighters infiltrating from the Sahel, the Nigerian government said.

The strikes, carried out on Thursday, were approved by President Bola Tinubu and launched from maritime platforms domiciled in the Gulf of Guinea after extensive intelligence gathering, operational planning, and reconnaissance, the information ministry said in a statement on Friday.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that American forces conducted the strikes at Nigeria’s request, describing them as “numerous perfect strikes” against Islamic State militants operating in northwest Nigeria. Trump said the group had been targeting Christians in the region and warned that “more [strikes are] to come.”

“A total of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms, successfully neutralising the targeted ISIS elements attempting to penetrate Nigeria from the Sahel corridor,” the Nigerian government statement said.

Flip-flops belonging to worshippers are seen following a deadly explosion at a mosque in northeast Maiduguri, capital of Borno State, Nigeria, on Thursday, December 25, 2025 [Jossy Ola/AP]

Intelligence assessments indicated the camps were used by foreign ISIS fighters working with local affiliates to plan large-scale attacks inside Nigeria, the government said. No civilian casualties were reported, though debris from the strikes fell in parts of Sokoto and Kwara states.

Sokoto State authorities confirmed the strikes and urged residents to remain calm. “The ongoing operations are geared towards securing the state and ensuring the protection of lives and property,” the state government said.

The operation marks a rare joint military action between Abuja and Washington, highlighting deepening security cooperation as Islamist violence spreads southward from the Sahel.