United States President Donald Trump has announced that American forces carried out what he described as “powerful and deadly” airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) militants in north-western Nigeria.

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform late Thursday, said the US military executed “numerous perfect strikes” against the group, which he accused of killing civilians, particularly Christians.

He vowed that under his leadership, the United States would not allow “radical Islamic terrorism” to flourish.

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) later confirmed that the operation took place in Sokoto State and was conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, told the BBC that the strikes were part of a joint counter-terrorism operation and were not motivated by religion.

“This is a joint operation against terrorists. It has nothing to do with targeting any religious group,” Tuggar said, adding that further action would depend on decisions taken by leaders of both countries.

The US Department of Defense released an unclassified video appearing to show a missile launch from a military vessel, linked to the operation.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth also confirmed cooperation with Nigeria, thanking the Nigerian government for its support in a post on X, where he added a Christmas greeting.

On Friday, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country remains engaged in “structured security cooperation” with international partners, including the United States, to combat terrorism and violent extremism.

“This collaboration has led to precision airstrikes on terrorist targets in the North West,” the ministry said, stressing that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by respect for sovereignty, protection of civilian lives and national unity.

While Trump has repeatedly claimed that Christians are being disproportionately targeted in Nigeria, several independent violence-monitoring organisations dispute this assertion.

Groups such as ACLED say available data shows that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of extremist violence, with Muslims accounting for a significant share of those killed.

An adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, said Nigeria welcomes international assistance in tackling insurgency but emphasised that any military action must respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and involve coordination with local authorities.

President Tinubu has maintained that Nigeria’s security challenges cut across religious and regional lines, insisting that jihadist groups have attacked people of all faiths.

Militant groups including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have waged a violent insurgency in Nigeria for over a decade, killing thousands and displacing millions, particularly in the country’s north-east and parts of the north-west.

The Federal Government has officially responded to the United States airstrikes carried out in Nigeria’s North West, saying the operation was part of ongoing efforts to curb terrorism and violent extremism.

US President Donald Trump had announced on Thursday night that American forces executed what he described as “deadly and precise” strikes against terrorist targets in the region.

Africa Command (AFRICOM), which oversees US military operations on the continent, disclosed that the airstrikes were conducted at Nigeria’s request.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Nigeria remains engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States, to address persistent security threats.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the collaboration involves intelligence sharing, strategic coordination and other forms of support, in line with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty and shared security commitments.

According to the statement, the cooperation resulted in precision airstrikes targeting terrorist elements in the North West, aimed at protecting lives and weakening extremist networks.

The Federal Government stressed that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the need to protect civilians, preserve national unity and uphold the rights and dignity of all citizens, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

It added that acts of terrorism, whether against Christians, Muslims or other communities, remain an affront to Nigeria’s values and a threat to international peace and security.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with its partners through established diplomatic and security channels to disrupt terrorist financing, logistics and cross-border operations, while strengthening Nigeria’s own security and intelligence capacity.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it would continue to engage relevant partners and keep the public informed through appropriate official channels.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on Nigerians to reject what it described as distorted and falsified tax laws, warning that flawed fiscal policies undermine public trust and worsen economic hardship.

The call was made by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in his 2025 Christmas message to Nigerians, where he stressed the need for inclusivity, transparency, and fairness in tax policy formulation.

Ajaero said any tax system tainted by distortion or alleged forgery lacks legitimacy and should not be accepted by the public.

He urged Nigerians to insist on tax justice, noting that a fair tax regime must ensure the wealthy pay their fair share while regressive taxes that burden ordinary citizens are eliminated.

According to him, sustainable economic reform cannot be achieved through hurried legislation driven by political interests, but through carefully crafted laws that enjoy broad public ownership.

He added that workers’ rights must be protected and that all citizens should have access to quality healthcare, education, and security as part of a just social contract.

Ajaero called on Nigerians to remain united in demanding equitable governance and reaffirmed the NLC’s commitment to mobilising workers against policies that deepen poverty and inequality.

The NLC’s position follows recent concerns raised by a member of the House of Representatives, Abdulsamad Dasuki, who alleged discrepancies between tax laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions later gazetted by the executive.

Dasuki claimed that the content of the gazetted laws differed from what lawmakers debated and approved, describing the situation as a breach of legislative procedure.

President Bola Tinubu had on June 26, 2025, signed four major tax reform bills into law.

The laws include the Nigeria Tax Act, the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, the Nigeria Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, and the Joint Revenue Board (Establishment) Act, collectively known as the Nigerian Tax Reform Acts.

The reforms are aimed at modernising Nigeria’s tax system, expanding the tax base, and improving revenue efficiency, including replacing the Federal Inland Revenue Service with the Nigeria Revenue Service.

However, the reforms have faced growing resistance amid allegations of forgery and concerns over their economic impact.

The House of Representatives has since set up a committee to investigate the claims, while civil society organisations and some state governors have raised objections over possible revenue-sharing and cost-of-living implications.