What to Know About Sokoto Terrorists Targeted in US Missile Strikes on Christmas Day
- The United States and Nigeria carried out joint missile strikes on December 25 in Sokoto State, targeting Islamist militants in one of the most significant foreign-enabled military actions on Nigerian soil
- Officials described the operation as “precision” strikes against Islamic State-linked camps, with intelligence shared between both countries
- The attacks underscored the growing complexity of terrorism in north-west Nigeria, where fragmented militant groups and shifting jihadi alliances continue to threaten civilians
On December 25, the United States and Nigeria carried out missile strikes against Islamist militants in Sokoto State, north-west Nigeria. The operation marked one of the most significant foreign-enabled military actions on Nigerian soil in recent history.
The strikes were ordered by US President Donald Trump and approved by Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. Both governments described the attacks as “precision” strikes against designated terrorist camps.
Source: Twitter
According to Premium Times, Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, confirmed that the government provided intelligence support and that President Tinubu approved the operation. The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) stated that the strikes focused on Islamic State (ISIS) positions in Sokoto, aiming to degrade the group’s operational capabilities.
Islamic State in Nigeria
ISIS has faced major setbacks since the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2019 and the subsequent loss of successor leaders. Despite weakened central command, the group expanded through affiliates in Africa, including Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the Islamic State’s Sahel Province.
In Nigeria, ISIS became a central player in the Boko Haram insurgency after Abubakar Shekau pledged allegiance in 2015. Internal disagreements later led ISIS to back ISWAP, which has since become one of the most resilient jihadist groups in the Lake Chad region. ISWAP, however, remains primarily active in the North-east.
Terrorism in Sokoto State
Unlike the North-east, Sokoto’s terrorism threat is more fragmented, involving cross-border jihadi-linked militants and radicalised bandit groups. Militant leaders such as Bello Turji have attacked villages and travellers, while the Lakurawa jihadists were initially invited by locals to combat banditry.
The presence of ISIS in Sokoto remains debated among experts. A 2022 study linked Lakurawa to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda franchise in Mali. Research by James Barnett later suggested the group had shifted allegiance to the Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP).
“Given the fluidity of jihadi alliances and fracturing in the Sahel, some of the original members of Lakurawa may have been affiliated with JNIM in 2017-2018 but are now affiliated with ISSP,” Mr Barnett argued.
Other analysts disagreed. Malik Samuel, a senior researcher at Good Governance Africa, said Lakurawa is “more al-Qaeda (JNIM).” He added: “I haven’t seen any evidence suggesting there is a link to ISIS.”
Lakurawa’s rise in the North-west
Community leaders in Tangaza and Gudu LGAs of Sokoto invited Lakurawa fighters from Mali in 2017 to suppress bandits. According to a traditional ruler in Balle village, the group spoke Arabic and Fulfude and was initially welcomed to provide security.
“They were invited to provide security to our communities,” the ruler said in an interview in 2021.
However, the group later turned violent, killing the district head of Tangwaza after a dispute. Lakurawa imposed radical Islamic practices, taxed herders, and prohibited alcohol and music. Their growing attacks on military formations triggered joint Nigerian-Nigerien operations in 2018, but the group re-emerged in 2021, aligning with bandits and Fulani communities against vigilante groups.
The group has since expanded into Kebbi State, where police reported attacks on officers and telecom workers. Aerial strikes against Lakurawa fighters also killed civilians, with the Nigerian Air Force later compensating affected families.
Source: Twitter
Civilian toll in Sokoto
The violence in Sokoto has devastated communities. Farmers, villagers, women, and children have been victims of raids, kidnappings, and killings. Years of terror have forced many to flee their homes, disrupting local life.
President Trump justified the missile strikes by claiming terrorists had targeted Christians. Nigerian officials and independent observers, however, stressed that insecurity in Sokoto affects people of all faiths. They pointed to criminal banditry, jihadi violence, and weak state protection as the root causes of instability in the region.
Terrorists relocate to new places after US air strikes
Legit.ng earlier reported that there were indications that suspected terrorists in northern Nigeria had begun relocating following missile strikes carried out by the United States of America on the night of December 25.
Credible community leaders told Sunday PUNCH that they noticed movements as hoodlums migrated in small numbers after the Christmas Day attacks.
Source: Legit.ng
