Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar confirmed Friday that US military airstrikes in Nigeria’s North-West were fully authorized by the Federal Government. Following President Donald Trump’s announcement of strikes against Islamic State terrorists, Tuggar clarified the action did not violate national sovereignty. He noted that President Bola Tinubu personally approved the joint operation to combat rising regional militancy.
During a CNN interview, Tuggar emphasized the partnership’s focus on security over politics. He stated, “We collaborated on this attack. It was a collaborative effort between Nigeria and the US, and President Tinubu gave the go-ahead before it took place, and we don’t see it violating our sovereignty or territorial integrity, which is very important.”
Addressing future US troop deployments, Tuggar maintained that Nigeria’s defense institutions would dictate such decisions. He dismissed religious narratives, asserting the priority is protecting lives. The minister concluded, “It is not about religion, it’s about the protection of lives and property of Nigerians and our neighbours as well,” prioritizing practical counterterrorism results over philosophical debates.