The United States (US) has launched a 'powerful and deadly' strike against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants in northwest Nigeria, said President Donald Trump on Friday. The development comes days after the 79-year-old Republican leader warned the terror group against 'killing' of Christians in the African country.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he had warned the ISIS of consequences if the 'slaughtering' of Christians continue in Nigeria. The US will not allow radical Islamic terrorism to 'prosper' under his leadership, Trump asserted, while adding that the strikes against the ISIS militants were 'perfect' and executed by the Department of War.
"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!" he said.
"May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues," the US president added.
Persecution of Christians in Nigeria
On several occasions, Trump and his administration have accused the ISIS of persecuting Christians in Nigeria, an African country which has an almost equal number of Muslims and Christians. It should be noted that the European Union (EU) had also expressed a similar concern earlier and called the Nigerian government to protect all of its people, irrespective of their religion.
Following the rise of Boko Haram, a terror group affiliated to the ISIS, violence has spread to different parts of Nigeria, displacing millions and claiming thousands of lives. From January 2020 to September 2025, Nigeria reported 385 attacks against Christians that claimed 317 lives, according to a data by US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event (ACLE) Data programme.
The Trump administration has blamed the ISIS for these attacks and warned of actions against the terror group and also against the Nigerian government by bringing visa curbs.
"ISIS-West Africa (ISIS-WA) was formed in 2015 when Boko Haram pledged allegiance to ISIS. The branch, as per the United States, attacks regional military targets and civilian defence forces and frequently attacks government personnel and infrastructure, and Christians," the US National Counterterrorism Centre (USNCC) had said earlier.