The United States has publicly commended the Federal Government of Nigeria for its cooperation in the recent coordinated United States Secretary of War, , who thanked Nigerian authorities for what he described as effective coordination, intelligence sharing, and operational cooperation that enabled the strikes. According to U.S. officials, the air operations were carried out on Thursday as part of efforts to degrade the capacity of terrorist groups operating in the region.
The strikes reportedly focused on known terrorist hideouts in parts of the North-West, an area that has witnessed a surge in attacks linked to banditry and extremist groups with alleged affiliations to global terrorist networks. U.S. authorities said the operation was aimed at disrupting planning, logistics, and leadership structures of these groups, while limiting civilian harm.
From Abuja, Nigeria’s government confirmed that the action formed part of structured international security cooperation, stressing that Nigeria retained full sovereignty over its territory. Officials noted that the collaboration was driven by intelligence-led assessments and aligned with Nigeria’s broader counter-terrorism strategy to protect lives and restore stability in affected communities.
President has repeatedly emphasized Nigeria’s openness to working with international partners to confront terrorism, provided such engagements respect national sovereignty and international law. Government sources reiterated that the air strikes were not directed at any religious or ethnic group, but solely at armed terrorists threatening national security.
The development has, however, sparked public debate across Nigeria. While some security analysts and citizens welcomed the strikes as a necessary boost to Nigeria’s overstretched counter-terrorism efforts, critics raised concerns about foreign military involvement on Nigerian soil and called for greater transparency and legislative oversight.
Civil society voices have also urged the government to complement military action with broader strategies addressing poverty, governance deficits, and local grievances that fuel insecurity. Analysts warn that air strikes alone may weaken terrorist networks in the short term but will not end violence without sustained ground operations and socio-economic interventions.
Despite differing opinions, the strikes underscore a deepening Nigeria–US security relationship at a time when insecurity remains one of the country’s most pressing challenges. U.S. officials have hinted that continued cooperation could follow, depending on developments on the ground, while Nigerian authorities insist that all future actions will be guided by national interest, civilian protection, and the rule of law.
As the situation unfolds, attention is now focused on whether the operation will translate into a measurable reduction in attacks in the North-West—and how Nigeria balances foreign assistance with domestic accountability in its fight against terrorism.