US President Donald Trump revealed Thursday that American forces had delivered what he promised would be “hell to pay” for ISIS militants in northwest Nigeria, targeting what he called “terrorist scum” attacking Christian communities. The Christmas Day strikes fulfilled the president’s explicit warnings.
The military operation came after Trump characterized violence against Nigerian Christians in October and November as an “existential threat” approaching genocidal proportions. The president had specifically warned terrorists that if they didn’t stop the slaughter, “there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.”
According to Trump’s statement, the Department of War executed “numerous perfect strikes” against militants engaged in the vicious killing of primarily innocent Christians. He emphasized American military superiority and his administration’s zero-tolerance policy toward radical Islamic terrorism.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the strikes as part of established security cooperation with the United States. The partnership includes intelligence sharing and strategic coordination aimed at combating militant groups. Nigerian officials stressed that terrorist violence against any religious community represents an affront to the country’s values.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked Nigeria for its cooperation and suggested that more operations might follow. He noted that ISIS had learned consequences on Christmas. The Pentagon released video footage showing weaponry being deployed from warships. While Nigerian President Bola Ahmed has participated in the security cooperation, he has also maintained that Nigeria’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths and that characterizations of religious intolerance do not reflect the country’s actual commitment.