The Federal Government has disclosed that 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms during a joint Nigeria–United States operation against Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves in Sokoto State.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, revealed this in a statement issued on Friday, explaining that the strikes were authorised by President Bola Tinubu and carried out in the early hours of December 26, 2025.
According to Idris, debris from the expended munitions fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State, close to a hotel facility. He, however, stressed that “No civilian casualties” were recorded in either location and that relevant authorities promptly secured the affected areas.
Idris said the operation, conducted between 00:12 hours and 01:30 hours, followed extensive intelligence gathering and operational planning. He noted that the strikes successfully neutralised ISIS elements attempting to infiltrate Nigeria from the Sahel corridor.
His update followed earlier comments by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, who confirmed that President Tinubu personally approved the operation. Tuggar said the President insisted that the action must be clearly identified as a joint operation and not framed along religious lines.
“Now that the US is cooperating, we would do it jointly, and we would ensure, just as the President emphasised yesterday before he gave the go-ahead, that it must be made clear that it is a joint operation, and it is not targeting any religion nor simply in the name of one religion or the other,” Tuggar said during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“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,” he added.
In a detailed account, Idris stated that the targeted locations within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area were being used as assembly and staging grounds by foreign ISIS fighters collaborating with local affiliates to plan large-scale attacks inside Nigeria.
He said the strikes were executed under established command and control structures, with the full involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and under the supervision of the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Chief of Defence Staff.
The Federal Government reiterated its resolve to confront and eliminate terrorist threats, particularly transnational extremist networks seeking to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty. Idris assured Nigerians that the government remains fully in control of the national security architecture and committed to protecting lives and property, urging citizens to remain calm and vigilant as security operations continue nationwide.
What you should know
The joint Nigeria–United States airstrikes represent one of the most detailed disclosures yet of foreign-assisted counterterrorism operations in the country.
Officials insist the operation was intelligence-driven, carefully authorised, and executed to avoid civilian harm. The government has repeatedly rejected claims that the strikes target any religious group, stressing that terrorism affects all Nigerians regardless of faith.
The operation also highlights Nigeria’s growing reliance on advanced surveillance and strike capabilities through strategic partnerships, particularly in countering cross-border infiltration from the Sahel region.
