The US Army’s attacks on Islamic State targets divide the Nigerian population.
By Alfonso Masoliver from Jos (Nigeria).
On December 25, 2025, the United States bombed northern Nigeria for the first time in history. The target was Islamic State positions in Sokoto state, hit with Tomahawk missiles launched from ships in the Gulf of Guinea. Donald Trump, who immediately boasted about what happened, noted on his Truth social media profile that “tonight, under my direction as commander in chief, the United States launched a powerful and lethal attack against the ISIS terrorist scum in northwestern Nigeria, who have been brutally attacking and murdering, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen in many years, and even centuries!”
And it is already known: every word and act decided by the American president is analyzed to the millimeter by millions of people. It is in this avalanche of hasty judgments on social networks where it is worth asking what is the opinion of those mainly affected by the decision, Nigerians, who have suffered from insecurity in almost the entire country for decades.
In the north, Islamic terrorism lurks at the hands of Boko Haram and the Islamic State itself. In the center of the country, clashes over land control between ranchers and farmers have led to a multifaceted conflict that relates ethnicity and religion. In the Niger Delta, oil spills and economic inequality allow the proliferation of armed groups that steal crude oil, kidnap workers and ambush the country’s Army. The mafias, known as cults, also spread their dose of terror in the cities. And the entire territory is exposed to kidnappings by Islamic terrorists, armed groups and bandits of various stripes.
The reaction to the attack
However, contrary to what one might imagine, the majority of the country has applauded the bombing. Even Aliyu Abubakar, a Fulani elder from Plateau state – where clashes between ranchers and farmers are taking place –, a Muslim and member of a community that has repeatedly attacked Christian farmers, recognizes that “if Trump comes to Nigeria to impose peace, a lasting peace, he is welcome.” When reminded that the American president blames Muslims for massacring Christians, that is, Aliyu and his people, the Fulani maintains his position: “We don’t want to fight anymore. We are tired, we want peace. If the Nigerian Government is not able to offer us an alternative, then Trump may be the one to do it. He says it surrounded by his people, who nod and murmur in their beautiful language.
Aliyu’s message is shocking. Destroy narratives.
In Kwi, a town that has been in conflict with the Abubakar community since 2001, they also welcome the bombing. And of course, the same goes for a pastor from the city of Jos whose name will remain anonymous. This clergyman, evangelist, emphasizes in an interview that “the situation in the country has improved since December 25. The bandits are scared. “They flee to the forests, they disperse, they are afraid to act.” In the end, Trump said that if the Nigerian government did not adopt more severe measures to combat terrorism, he would take charge himself; and Nigerians affected by cyclical violence believe that if Bola Tinubu’s Executive does not do its part, they can accept that Trump comes, sees and wins.
Ozobo Austin is a well-known activist of the Ijaw ethnic group who fights for the rights of his people to the oil fields of the Niger Delta. Even before the famous bombing, when Washington’s threats began to be made, he told the Nigerian media that “bandits and terrorists parade with their AK-47 rifles in broad daylight, under the gaze of security agents who, instead of shooting them down, protect them.” Austin considered that Trump’s threats were a consequence of the failure of a Government that has not known how to prioritize the lives of its citizens. Ozobo is another who joins the list of those relieved.
Those who oppose
Who within Nigeria is reluctant to US intervention? First, some of the residents of the areas affected by the shells. But it must be emphasized that the Nigerian media did not pick up complaints about the target of the attacks. Local citizens did not criticize the United States for actively fighting terrorism; They were only afraid that the bombs would fall on them. And this would be because some of the Tomahawks allegedly crashed onto farms and private property, calling into question the accuracy with which they were fired. No one likes lead raining at night.
The Nigerian Government wanted to downplay these fears and assured in a statement that the properties affected were caused by the remains of the missiles and not by the projectiles themselves, in addition to insisting that no civilians were killed or injured. Through a voice note sent to MUNDO NEGRO, Fr. Atta Barkindo, executive director of the Kukah Centre, based in the northeast of Sokoto state, has, however, highlighted the confusion and bewilderment experienced in the region after the bombing. «It is very difficult to know the real impact of air attacks. We do not know how many terrorists or how many civilians have been hit. All the information seems to be classified,” explains this Nigerian priest.
Some citizens of the country, especially the most patriotic, or those residing in Abuja and Lagos, far from the dangers, criticize that Trump will do in Africa as with Venezuela: he will overthrow the Government, impose a kind of protectorate and steal precious Nigerian resources. And this fear may be relevant, although the Executive assured in a statement issued on December 26 that the attacks on Sokoto were carried out in collaboration with the Nigerian security forces.
Few consider Trump’s goal to be “saving” Christians. Even those who support the action consider it this way. Nobody was born yesterday. Jos’s own pastor indicates that “Trump also attacked Venezuela, where Christians killed Christians, and we all know that oil was his only interest.” But he adds a key detail: “If he really gets precise bombings that don’t kill innocent civilians and makes a deal with the government in exchange for pacifying Nigeria, I won’t be against that.”
The reality in Nigeria is never black and white. It’s hard to decipher. But what is certain is that insecurity is unsustainable. And that many, even those who are pointed out as guilty, want peace at any price. Although their valuable oil is the currency with which they pay for a quiet life.
