Prosper Okoye
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has said it will not release details of US air strikes against militants in Sokoto State, describing the operation as a matter for the military.
The strikes, carried out on 25 December 2025, targeted Islamist militants linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) and were confirmed by the US Department of Defense.
The Nigerian government also said it had approved the operation, which was carried out in cooperation with US forces.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelSpeaking on a televised interview on Tuesday, police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin said: “We engage a lot in intelligence gathering, not just intelligence sharing. As the Police Force, we know certain things about the strikes, but we don’t want to talk about them. We decline to talk about that particular operation.”
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He added: “There was a cooperation, but we would rather leave it as a defence matter that the defence would talk about.”
The US Department of Defense released video footage showing missiles being launched from a naval vessel. The strikes, it said, killed “multiple ISIS terrorists”.
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US President Donald Trump announced the operation on his social media platform, describing it as “powerful and deadly” and linking it to his concerns over attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
He wrote: “May God bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.”
The Nigerian government acknowledged the strikes but rejected claims they were aimed at any religious group.
Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar said, “now that the US is cooperating, we would do it jointly, and we would ensure… that it is not targeting any religion nor simply in the name of one religion or the other.
“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.”
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President Bola Tinubu reportedly gave final approval for the operation, highlighting its joint nature.
The strikes followed President Trump’s public warnings that Christians in Nigeria faced an “existential threat” amounting to “genocide,” a claim rejected by the Nigerian government.
The operation has raised questions about foreign military involvement in Nigeria, religious sensitivities, and national security transparency.
Human rights groups have warned that withholding operational details may limit public understanding of the fight against terrorism.
Officials, however, say secrecy is necessary for safety and intelligence reasons.
Prosper Okoye is a Correspondent and Research Writer at Prime Business Africa, a Nigerian journalist with experience in development reporting, public affairs, and policy-focused storytelling across Africa
