The Nigeria Police Force has publicly acknowledged its awareness of the recent United States military airstrikes against terrorist targets in Sokoto State. However, the police have firmly stated they will not be disclosing any specific details concerning the operation.
Police Force Maintains Operational Secrecy
This position was articulated by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin. He spoke during an appearance on the political programme Politics Today on Channels Television on Tuesday, January 14, 2026. Hundeyin emphasised the police force's deep involvement in intelligence activities but clarified they would not comment publicly on the strikes.
"We engage a lot in intelligence gathering, not just intelligence sharing," Hundeyin stated. "As the Police Force, we know certain things about the strikes, but we don't want to talk about them. We decline to talk about that particular operation."
The police spokesman further explained that while there was inter-agency cooperation, the matter ultimately fell under the jurisdiction of defence authorities. "There was a cooperation, but we would rather leave it as a defence matter that the defence would talk about," he concluded.
Background and Official Confirmations
Hundeyin's comments follow earlier confirmations that the United States conducted airstrikes in Sokoto State on December 25, 2025. The US Department of Defense stated the operation resulted in the death of "multiple ISIS terrorists" and was executed at the formal request of the Nigerian government.
US President Donald Trump announced the military action on his Truth Social platform. He characterised the strikes as decisive and issued a warning to terrorist groups. "The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing," Trump wrote. "Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper." His statement included a controversial Christmas message suggesting further action if attacks on Christians persisted.
Federal Government's Stance and Diplomatic Context
Subsequently, the Nigerian Federal Government confirmed that the operation was jointly planned and approved by President Bola Tinubu. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, addressed the nation on Sunrise Daily on Boxing Day. He framed the airstrikes as a component of an expanded security partnership with the United States.
"Now that the US is cooperating, we would do it jointly, and we would ensure, just as the President emphasised yesterday before he gave the go-ahead, that it must be made clear that it is a joint operation," Minister Tuggar asserted.
He was keen to stress that the operation's objective was counter-terrorism, not religious targeting. "It is not targeting any religion nor simply in the name of one religion or the other," Tuggar said. "We are a multi-religious country, and we are working with partners like the US to fight terrorism and safeguard the lives and properties of Nigerians."
These airstrikes occurred against a backdrop of heightened diplomatic sensitivity. This tension stemmed from repeated comments by President Trump alleging the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. The US leader had previously designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, claiming Christians faced an "existential threat" akin to genocide. The Federal Government has consistently and strongly rejected these claims, maintaining that insecurity in Nigeria affects all communities irrespective of religious affiliation.
