Trump orders 'deadly' US airstrikes on Islamic State 'scum' in Nigeria

The strikes were conducted "in coordination with Nigerian authorities" in Sokoto State and killed multiple targets, a US official said.

Announcing the attacks on his social media platform Truth Social, Mr Trump said his attacks targeted "ISIS terrorist scum".

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However, it was more likely that members of Lakurawa, a militant group prominent in the northwest, were hit by the strikes.

"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!," the president said.

"I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.

"Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper."

On X, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warned ISIS that there was "more to come".

"The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end," he said.

"The @DeptofWar [Department of War] is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight - on Christmas. More to come..."

Lakurawa has been active since 2017 controls territories in Sokoto and Kebbi states and is known killings, kidnapping, rape and armed robbery.

Having originally been invited in to these states to protect their communities from bandits, the group has now "overstayed its welcome" Africa researcher James Barnett told Sky News.

Nigeria's foreign ministry confirmed ​that ​America's "precision ‍air strikes" had hit "terrorist targets" ​in the country's ‍north west.

The African nation was cooperating with the US in "addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism".

The US president ordered the Pentagon last month to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria following reports of Christian persecution.

Nigeria had been flagged as a country of particular concern" by his administration, which has restricted visas for Nigerians and their family members involved in mass killings and violence against Christians in the West African country.

This move was bizarrely backed by award-winning rapper Nicki Minaj, who said in November that Christians in Nigeria were "being targeted".

"Churches have been burned, families have been torn apart... simply because of how they pray" she said at an event organised US embassy to the UN in New York last month.

Nigeria's population is split between ‌Muslims living primarily in the north and Christians in the south.

Last month, more than 300 students were taken from a catholic school in Northern Nigeria in one of the country's biggest-ever mass abductions. All were freed by December 22.

The country's government says it faces complex security challenges, as armed groups also target Muslims.

Just two days ago, at least five worshippers were killed and 35 others injured when a suspected suicide bomber attacked a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's Borno state, in the northeast.

Despite this, Nigeria has agreed to work with the US to bolster its forces against terrorist activity.

After the US strikes, Nigeria's foreign ministry said: "Nigeria reiterates that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding national unity, and upholding the rights and dignity of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity.

"Terrorist violence in any form whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities remains an affront to Nigeria's values and to international peace and security."