President Bola Tinubu approved the United States’ recent airstrikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria and provided critical intelligence that guided the operations, Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar has disclosed.
Speaking to the press on Friday, Tuggar said the joint operation was part of ongoing security collaboration between Nigeria and the US, stressing that it was not motivated by religion.
“Now that the US is cooperating, we are conducting this operation jointly. As the President emphasised before giving the go-ahead, it must be clear that this strike is against terrorism, not any religion,” Tuggar said.
The minister revealed that he spoke with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for 19 minutes before consulting President Tinubu, who authorized the strikes. Tuggar added that subsequent statements were coordinated to underscore the joint anti-terrorism nature of the operation.
“This is a vindication of the Tinubu administration’s consistent security strategy. Nigeria is committed to working with partners like the US to protect the lives and properties of all Nigerians, regardless of religion or the nature of terrorism,” he said.
Tuggar also emphasized that Nigeria has long sought deeper cooperation with the US and other international partners to combat terrorism and prevent the loss of innocent lives.
The airstrikes follow US President Donald Trump’s confirmation on Thursday that US forces had targeted suspected terrorists in Nigeria. The operations came shortly after Nigeria was redesignated as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged Christian persecution.
The minister described the strikes as evidence of Nigeria’s proactive engagement with global partners to tackle terrorism and a demonstration that the Tinubu administration is prepared to act decisively against threats to national security.
“This shows we are committed and ready to work with all countries to stop terrorism, protect Nigerians, and ensure security across our nation,” Tuggar added.
This announcement marks a significant development in Nigeria-US security cooperation, highlighting both intelligence sharing and coordinated action against terrorist networks within the country.
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