December 27, (THEWILL) — The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed the successful destruction of two major Islamic State (ISIS) infiltration bases located within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area, Sokoto State.
The operation was conducted in close coordination with the Government of the United States of America.
The operation, executed in the early hours of Friday, December 26, 2025, targeted terrorist enclaves identified through credible intelligence as assembly and staging grounds for foreign ISIS fighters.
These elements, including members of the “Lakurawa” group, were reportedly infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel region to coordinate large-scale attacks with local affiliates.
A statement issued on Friday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed that the precision strikes were carried out between 12:12 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. following explicit approval from President Bola Tinubu.
The operation involved the Armed Forces of Nigeria and was supervised by the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs, alongside the Chief of Defence Staff.
The strikes were launched from maritime platforms in the Gulf of Guinea.
A total of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms and Tomahawk missiles, successfully neutralising ISIS elements attempting to penetrate the country through the Sahel corridor.
During the operation, debris from expended munitions fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State.
Authorities confirmed that while some property damage was recorded, no civilian casualties occurred in either location. Security agencies have since secured the affected areas.
Reiterating its unwavering resolve to combat terrorism, the Federal Government stated it would continue to confront and eliminate threats posed by transnational extremist networks.
The government further affirmed Nigeria’s alignment with strategic partners to ensure lasting peace, strengthened border security, and regional stability.
THEWILL reports that the strikes follow recent warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the persecution of Christians in the region.
However, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar clarified that the joint operation was a strategic security measure against terrorism and “had nothing to do with a particular religion.”
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