The Federal Government has confirmed that it authorised and carried out what it described as successful precision airstrikes on suspected Islamic State (ISIS) enclaves in Sokoto State, in a coordinated operation with the United States.
In a statement released on Friday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the strikes targeted two major ISIS camps located within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area. He explained that intelligence reports showed the locations were being used by foreign ISIS fighters infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel, working with local affiliates to plan large-scale terrorist attacks.
According to Idris, the operation took place between 12:12 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. on Friday, December 26, 2025, and was carried out after receiving explicit approval from President Bola Tinubu. He said the mission followed extensive intelligence gathering, planning, and reconnaissance.
The minister disclosed that 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms, launched from maritime platforms in the Gulf of Guinea. The strikes, he said, successfully neutralised the targeted ISIS elements attempting to penetrate Nigeria through the Sahel corridor.
Idris acknowledged that debris from expended munitions fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State, near a hotel. However, he stressed that no civilian casualties were recorded and that security agencies promptly secured the affected areas.
Reaffirming the government’s stance, Idris said Nigeria remains resolute in confronting and eliminating terrorist threats, particularly those posed by transnational extremist networks. He assured Nigerians that the government is fully in control of the country’s security architecture and remains committed to protecting lives and property, urging citizens to remain calm and vigilant as operations against terrorist groups continues.
