Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has described the recent joint airstrike with the United States in Sokoto as a collaborative, carefully planned operation against foreign ISIS-linked terrorists.
Speaking in Abuja, Tuggar emphasized Nigeria’s sovereignty and the importance of international cooperation to combat terrorism.
“This is a joint effort with the US, carried out with the approval of our authorities,” he said.
“We ensure that these operations respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and do not target any religion. Terrorism kills indiscriminately, affecting Muslims and Christians alike.”
Tuggar acknowledged concerns over sovereignty but reassured the public that President Bola Tinubu’s administration would never allow violations of Nigeria’s territorial integrity.
“We are committed to protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians, regardless of faith or ethnicity,” he added.
On future operations, Tuggar confirmed that the strikes mark a new phase of an ongoing fight against terrorism.
“We are ready to collaborate with all partners committed to securing our region,” he said.
The Minister also explained the impact of the US Leahy Laws, which previously restricted military aid to Nigeria due to allegations of human rights abuses.
He criticized these laws as unfair, noting similar restrictions were not applied to other countries with worse records.
“Thanks to recent changes, the US now supplies Nigeria with necessary military equipment to strengthen our counterterrorism efforts,” Tuggar stated.
He also linked regional instability to past conflicts, including the fallout from Libya’s collapse, which intensified arms and fighter flows into West Africa.
Tuggar concluded by stressing the need to frame the conflict correctly as regional and not merely religious or Nigerian-specific.
“Misframing the problem leads to wrong solutions,” he said, urging continued diplomacy and strategic collaboration to restore peace and security.
