Tinubu Approved U.S.-Coordinated Precision Air Strike on Terrorist Enclaves in Sokoto – Minister
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has said that President Bola Tinubu approved the recent U.S.-coordinated precision air strikes against two major Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves in Sokoto State.
Idris disclosed that the operation targeted terrorist hideouts within the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza Local Government Area and was carried out in close coordination with the United States Government.
The minister made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday.
According to him, intelligence reports confirmed that the locations served as assembly and staging grounds for foreign ISIS fighters infiltrating Nigeria from the Sahel region, working alongside local affiliates to plan large-scale terrorist attacks within the country.
“The precision strike operations were executed between 12:12 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. on Friday, December 26, 2025, following the explicit approval of President Bola Tinubu,” Idris said.
He explained that the operation was conducted under established command-and-control structures, with the full involvement of the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the supervision of the Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs, as well as the Chief of Defence Staff.
Idris added that the strikes were launched from maritime platforms in the Gulf of Guinea after extensive intelligence gathering, operational planning and reconnaissance.
“A total of 16 GPS-guided precision munitions were deployed using MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial platforms, successfully neutralising the targeted ISIS elements attempting to penetrate Nigeria through the Sahel corridor,” he stated.
The minister noted that debris from expended munitions fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State, near a hotel premises. However, he said no civilian casualties were recorded and security agencies swiftly secured the affected areas.
Idris reaffirmed the Federal Government’s resolve to confront and eliminate terrorist threats, particularly those posed by transnational extremist groups seeking to undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and security.
He stressed that Nigeria remains fully aligned with its strategic partners in executing coordinated actions to ensure lasting peace, border security and regional stability.
The minister assured Nigerians that the government remains firmly in control of the national security architecture and is committed to protecting lives and property, urging citizens to remain calm and vigilant as decisive actions continue against all terrorist groups.
