By Stephen Kefas
(Kaduna) In the late hours of December 25, 2025, United States military aircraft conducted precision airstrikes on suspected terrorist positions in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, marking a significant escalation in international counterterrorism operations within Nigeria’s borders.
The 45-minute operation, which began at 11:45 PM on December 25 and concluded at 12:30 AM, targeted what officials described as a terrorist base hosting jihadist affiliates in the Bouni axis of Tangaza County which borders the Niger Republic. President Donald Trump announced the strikes via his social media platform, characterizing them as attacks against “ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria.”
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!” Trump wrote.
The launch of at least 12 Tomahawk missiles is believed to have cost between $18 million and $22 million and was conducted with Nigerian government approval. Both the U.S. Department of Defense and Nigeria’s Foreign Minister confirmed the strikes were a coordinated effort between the two nations.
Local Officials Confirm Terror Hub Targeted
The Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, Isa Salihu, confirmed in a telephone interview with Premium Times that the strike hit a known insurgent hub, though casualty figures remain unconfirmed.
“That area serves as their primary route when entering from the Niger Republic,” Salihu explained. “They frequent these zones and have established camps in the dense forests near the border.”
“We cannot yet confirm if targets were killed. We are awaiting detailed security reports to determine the impact and to verify if there were any civilian casualties,” he added.
Salihu noted that the airstrikes caused panic among residents in surrounding communities. “Locals frequently report sightings of armed groups nestled within the rocky hills along the border axis. The blast from the airstrike has caused panic among residents in the surrounding communities. We pray that no one is hurt.”
The Sokoto State Government confirmed that terrorist locations were bombed in the operation but provided no photographic evidence of terrorists killed. Nigerien soldiers in neighboring Niger Republic said they observed Lakurawa fighters escaping from Tangaza after the strikes.
TruthNigeria reported no casualties were evident by close of Dec. 26. According to TruthNigeria sources in Tangaza the strike area believed to be the terrorist meeting place has been cordoned off.
The Lakurawa Threat
The strikes targeted the Lakurawa terrorist group, a jihadist organization affiliated with Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an Al-Qaeda affiliate operating across the Sahel, (although terrorist expert James Barnett argues there is strong evidence the group is affiliated with ISIS in the Sahel). The group has been establishing a foothold in Nigeria’s Northwest, particularly along the porous border with Niger Republic. Tangaza’s location along Nigeria’s border with Niger has made it a critical transit point for jihadist fighters.
In November 2024, investigative reports by TruthNigeriadocumented the influx of foreign Islamist terrorists from the Sahel region into Nigeria through Tangaza, explaining how Lakurawa had been recruiting local fighters, including Fulani militias.
Dr. Walid Abdullahi, a security expert based in Birnin Kebbi, told TruthNigeria that the strike targeted a meeting of top Lakurawa leaders, fighters and other affiliate terror groups in Tangaza.
“For some time now, residents of have raised alarm about the influx of hundreds of Lakurawa terrorists. They also talked about some foreign terrorists that look like Arabs. I believe that other foreign affiliate terrorists may have also come into the region for a joint operation against the Nigerian state,” Abdullahi said.
“The terrorists often tell road users that they are Muslims like them and won’t harm them but that they are after the infidels and the enemies of Allah,” he explained.
“For those saying that the strike missed its target, they are being delusional, because the fact remains that many terrorists were eliminated in the strike. In fact, even the communities have said they have not been seeing the terrorists since the strike happened,” Abdullahi added.
Intelligence Operations Preceded Strikes
In recent weeks, U.S. forces have conducted intensive Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations across the Sahel region of Nigeria for seven days straight from Dec. 18, according to surveillance flight tracker @BrantPhilip on X. Philip posted that flights concentrated on suspected Islamic State targets in Northern Sokoto from Dec. 18 to Dec. 20 and on a region of Borno State midway between Maiduguri and Gwoza from Dec. 21 to Dec. 25.
These missions reportedly provided intelligence about high-value terrorist targets in Tangaza, including senior commanders allegedly planning coordinated attacks across multiple Nigerian states.
The operation targeted a terrorist base where jihadist commanders were reportedly meeting to strategize large-scale attacks, Dr Walid Abdullahi told TruthNigeria.
Debate Over ISIS Designation
President Trump’s characterization of the targets as ISIS has drawn scrutiny from security analysts. While Lakurawa is primarily affiliated with JNIM and Al-Qaeda rather than ISIS, both organizations share similar ideologies and operational methods, including efforts to establish Islamic caliphates through violence.
The distinction between Al-Qaeda affiliates and ISIS may be more significant to terrorism analysts than to affected communities, as both groups employ similar tactics including targeted killings, mass kidnappings, and attacks on civilians who resist their authority.
However, security officials and affected communities have defended the strikes as necessary interventions against a growing terrorist threat that has displaced communities and disrupted economic activities across the Northwest.
Implications for U.S. Security Interests
The operation reflects growing American concern about the expansion of Al-Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated groups in West Africa and their potential threat to U.S. interests. The Sahel region has emerged as a significant terrorism concern for Washington as governance challenges and regional instability create opportunities for jihadist expansion.
TruthNigeria founder Judd Saul has poked at Africom on X for making a spectacular strike in the northern state of Sokoto in its first Nigerian intervention, while neglecting to bomb Fulani ethnic militia who have slaughtered more than 25 defenseless Christian farmers in Middle Belt States as predicted by Saul on three occasions since Dec. 4, 2025.
Saul tweeted on Dec. 26th: Hey… if yall are serious about stopping the massacre of Christians in Nigeria. We can help save you a lot of time! And make sure you guys are targeting the Fulani Ethnic Militia, the group that’s killing Christians in Nigeria. Give me a call.”
For communities in Tangaza and surrounding areas, the immediate concern remains whether the strikes have disrupted terrorist networks sufficiently to provide lasting security improvements.
Steven Kefas is a conflict reporter for TruthNigeria.
Nigeria with false pretence of Religion,characterize by fasle teachers,fasle prophets with fasle practices/indecent practices,a group of mass murderers,oppressors of unopportune,in the name practicing democracy but it is stone age ideologies,uncivilize policies and is too premetive,for civilize world of this age.Nigerians need decent policies of advancement not policies of knife edge in the name of Religion.