The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed that it carried out coordinated precision airstrikes against two suspected Islamic State (IS...
The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed that it carried out coordinated precision airstrikes against two suspected Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves in Sokoto State, in an operation approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and conducted in collaboration with the United States.
According to an official statement issued on Friday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the strikes targeted locations within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area. The areas were identified by intelligence agencies as assembly and staging grounds used by foreign ISIS elements infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel region, allegedly working with local affiliates to plan large-scale attacks.
The operation was executed in the early hours of Friday, December 26, 2025, between 12:12 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., following what the government described as extensive intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, and operational planning. Sixteen GPS-guided precision munitions were reportedly deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms.
Government officials said the strikes were launched from maritime platforms based in the Gulf of Guinea and were carried out under established command-and-control structures, with the involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria. The operation was overseen by the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs, alongside the Chief of Defence Staff.
The Federal Government acknowledged that debris from expended munitions fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State, near a hotel premises. Authorities said no civilian casualties were recorded in either location and that security agencies promptly secured the affected areas.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s counterterrorism posture, the government said it remains determined to confront and dismantle transnational extremist networks that threaten the country’s sovereignty and internal security. It also stressed continued alignment with strategic partners in pursuing coordinated actions aimed at strengthening border security and regional stability.
“The Federal Government assures all Nigerians that it remains firmly in control of the national security architecture and is fully committed to the protection of lives and property,” the statement said, urging citizens to remain calm and vigilant as security operations continue nationwide.
The development comes amid growing concerns over the movement of extremist groups across the Sahel corridor and their potential spillover into northern Nigeria.
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