Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has revealed that the Nigerian government not only supplied the intelligence that led to the recent United States airstrike on terrorist targets in the country but also formally approved the operation before it was carried out.
Speaking on Channels Television on Friday, Tuggar said the strike was the result of close and ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States. His comments came a day after Washington confirmed it had launched airstrikes as part of its counter-terrorism efforts in Nigeria.
According to the minister, the operation had nothing to do with religion and was strictly aimed at tackling terrorism and protecting innocent lives.
“It was Nigeria that provided the intelligence,” Tuggar said. “I spent 19 minutes on the phone with the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. We discussed the situation extensively and agreed that I would brief President Bola Tinubu so he could give the final approval.”
Tuggar explained that after speaking with President Tinubu, both governments also agreed on how the operation would be communicated publicly, making it clear that the strike was part of joint counter-terrorism efforts between Nigeria and the United States.
“We agreed that the statements following the operation would clearly show that this was a strike against terrorism and part of ongoing collaboration between our two countries,” he said.
The foreign affairs minister described the strike as a major boost to the Tinubu administration’s security strategy, noting that Nigeria has consistently sought deeper international cooperation to combat terrorism.
“Nigeria has always been clear about its approach: to work with all partners committed to fighting terrorism, regardless of religion or who the victims are—Muslims or Christians,” Tuggar said. “It doesn’t matter whether terrorism is carried out in the name of religion or through banditry. What matters is stopping it.”
He added that the government’s priority remains ending the killing of innocent Nigerians, stressing that the collaboration with the US was something Nigeria had long hoped for.
“This is a vindication of the Tinubu administration,” he said. “For those who believed the government was dragging its feet or not doing enough, this shows clearly that we are committed and ready to work with all countries to tackle insecurity.”
Tuggar further emphasized that the operation was not religiously motivated, insisting that its sole objective was to protect lives.
“This is not about religion. It is about protecting Nigerians and innocent lives, whether Nigerian or foreign,” he said, noting that discussions with US officials took place both before and shortly before the strike was executed.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had carried out airstrikes targeting suspected terrorist elements in Nigeria. US officials said the operation was based on shared intelligence and carried out in coordination with the Nigerian government.
Months earlier, Trump had warned that the US might take action against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria, citing repeated attacks and violence, particularly against Christian communities. His comments sparked debate within Nigeria, with government officials maintaining that insecurity in the country affects both Muslims and Christians and is not driven by religion.
Nigeria has battled serious security challenges for years, including the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province insurgencies in the North-East, as well as widespread banditry and terror attacks in the North-West. These crises have claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions.
While the United States has long supported Nigeria through intelligence sharing and military assistance, direct US airstrikes on Nigerian soil are rare and often attract significant public attention.
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