Residents across Sokoto State in northwest Nigeria were startled from their sleep by powerful explosions on Thursday night, initially fearing an assault by the armed groups that plague the region. The blasts, however, were United States military strikes carried out on Christmas Day, targeting militant camps.
Villagers Mistake Bombardment for Jihadist Attack
In the countryside near Jabo town, approximately 100 kilometres south of Sokoto city and close to the Niger border, the loud detonations caused widespread panic. Haruna Kallah, a local from Jabo, described the moment a massive explosion shook the entire community. "Everyone was scared," he stated, revealing that their first assumption was an attack by Lakurawa, the primary jihadist faction operating in Sokoto State.
This reaction underscores the constant state of insecurity faced by communities in Nigeria's northwest, where gangs labelled as "bandits" and jihadist militants frequently launch raids. However, Kallah expressed surprise at the U.S. action, noting that their specific area is not a known Lakurawa stronghold and had been free from attacks for the past two years.
On-the-Ground Details and Past U.S. Operations
Curious locals from Jabo later ventured to a field outside Barkini village on the town's outskirts. There, they found burning fragments from the aerial bombardment. Another resident, Ayuba Abdulkarim, confirmed the terrifying experience, adding that while no casualties were reported, bomb fragments damaged the walls and roofs of nearby homes.
In the neighbouring Tangaza district, resident Tukur Shehu reported that two strikes hit Warriya and Alkassim villages, areas known to host Lakurawa camps used for launching attacks and holding hostages. This region is familiar with U.S. special forces operations; in October 2020, American troops covertly entered Tangaza to successfully rescue Philip Walton, a U.S. citizen kidnapped from neighbouring Niger.
Broader Context of U.S.-Nigeria Tensions
The Christmas Day bombardment occurs amid a diplomatic dispute between Nigeria and the United States. The administration of President Donald Trump has characterised the conflict in Nigeria as involving the "mass killing of Christians." Both the Nigerian government and independent security analysts contest this framing, arguing that the nation's interlinked security crises claim the lives of civilians from both Christian and Muslim faiths.
The U.S. military stated the strikes targeted militants affiliated with the Islamic State but did not specify which of Nigeria's numerous documented armed groups were hit. For the villagers of Sokoto, the night of December 25th transformed from a time of celebration into a moment of profound confusion and fear, highlighting the complex and often shadowy international dimensions of Nigeria's security challenges.
