Sajjad Ali Nayani ✍🏼Friday World 28/12/2025
On December 25, 2025, while the world celebrated Christmas, US President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out powerful and deadly airstrikes against ISIS-linked terrorists in northwest Nigeria. In his Truth Social post, Trump stated: "Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!"
The strikes were conducted
in coordination with and at the request of the Nigerian government, as confirmed by US Africa Command (AFRICOM). They targeted ISIS-affiliated groups, including the Islamic State Sahel Province (also known locally as Lakurawa), in Sokoto State. Multiple Tomahawk missiles were reportedly fired from a US naval vessel in the Gulf of Guinea, neutralizing several militants in known terrorist camps. AFRICOM's initial assessment indicated that multiple ISIS terrorists were killed, with no immediate reports of civilian casualties.
This action followed Trump's November 2025 warning, when he ordered the Department of Defense to prepare for potential military intervention in Nigeria. He accused the Nigerian government of failing to stop the "mass slaughter" of Christians and threatened to intervene "guns-a-blazing" if the killings continued. Trump also designated Nigeria a "Country of Particular Concern" for religious freedom violations.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, has a population of over 230 million, roughly divided between Muslims (about 53-56%) and Christians (about 43-45%). While both communities have suffered greatly from violence, reports from groups like the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) estimate that over 7,000 Christians were killed in the first eight months of 2025 alone, amid attacks by jihadist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and emerging factions like Lakurawa. Since 2009, the insurgency has claimed over 50,000 civilian lives overall, including Muslims and Christians, with root causes including religious extremism, farmer-herder clashes, poverty, land disputes, and governance failures.
Supporters view the US strikes
as a necessary defense of persecuted Christians, fulfilling Trump's promise to protect the vulnerable. Critics, however, question whether this marks the start of a new "crusade" and point out that violence is not solely religious—many attacks occur in Muslim-majority areas, and Muslims also fall victim to the same groups. Some Nigerian villagers near strike sites reported confusion, claiming no known ISIS presence in their peaceful communities, highlighting the complex mix of banditry, ethnic tensions, and jihadism.
The event exposes Nigeria's security challenges
and the complexities of international intervention. While the strikes may weaken militants temporarily, lasting peace requires stronger local governance, community reconciliation, and addressing underlying issues like poverty and resource conflicts. If violence persists, further US actions—and heightened tensions—could follow. Ultimately, true resolution demands cooperation from Nigerian authorities, local communities, and the international community—before religion becomes an even deeper divide and blood continues to flow in the name of faith.
Sajjad Ali Nayani ✍🏼
Friday World | 28/12/2025
