Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has clarified that Nigeria not only provided the intelligence that led to the recent United States airstrike on terrorist targets within the country but also formally authorised the operation before it was carried out.

Speaking on Channels Television, Tuggar explained that the strike was the outcome of ongoing security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, stressing that it was conducted with Nigeria’s consent and was not influenced by religious considerations.

“It’s Nigeria that provided the intelligence. I was on the phone yesterday for 19 minutes with Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the United States. We spoke extensively, and we agreed that I was going to speak with President Tinubu for President Tinubu to give the go-ahead,” he said.

Tuggar added that the agreement included a joint communication strategy to ensure clarity about the nature of the operation.

“It was agreed also that the statements that would follow would be statements that would show clearly that it is a strike against terrorism and that it is part of the ongoing joint operations between Nigeria and collaboration between Nigeria and the United States,” he noted.

The minister stressed that Nigeria has consistently sought deeper collaboration with international partners in the fight against terrorism.

“Nigeria has remained consistent in its approach, which is to work with all partners that are committed to the fight against terrorism, irrespective of what religion, who the victims are, whether they are Muslims or Christians, and irrespective of what type of terrorism. So this is an ongoing process,” he said.

He described the strike as evidence of the Tinubu administration’s willingness to act decisively in partnership with allies, saying, “We have been working closely with the Americans. This is what we’ve always been hoping for: to work with the Americans, work with other countries to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians. So this is a vindication of the Tinubu administration.”

The minister stressed that the operation was solely aimed at protecting lives. “It is not to do with religion; it is to do with protecting Nigerians and the innocent lives of either Nigerians or non-Nigerians. This was clear. We spoke twice. We spoke for 19 minutes before the strike, and then we spoke again for another five minutes before it went on,” he explained.

US President Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday that the strike targeted suspected terrorist elements in Nigeria. American officials said the operation was based on shared intelligence and carried out in coordination with Nigeria’s government.

Months earlier, Trump had warned that Washington could take action against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria, citing repeated attacks. His comments drew mixed reactions locally, with Nigerian officials insisting that insecurity in the country was not religiously motivated and that both Muslims and Christians had suffered from terrorism and banditry.

Nigeria continues to face multiple security challenges, including insurgency by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province in the North-East, as well as banditry and terror attacks across the North-West. While the United States has long supported Nigeria through intelligence sharing and military assistance, direct strikes on Nigerian territory remain rare and often attract public scrutiny.