Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has described the Christmas Day U.S. military airstrikes against Islamist militants in Sokoto State as a “blessing,” signalling the Nigerian government’s openness to expanded security cooperation with the United States.
Speaking to Fox News Digital during a week-long visit to the United States, Tinubu said Nigeria welcomed the intervention as it continues its fight against insurgent groups and armed criminal networks operating in various parts of the country.
“The intervention of the U.S. was quite a welcome development,” the First Lady said. She added that Nigeria is seeking broader collaboration with Washington on security issues. “Nigeria is looking forward to collaboration. We are expecting that there will be more.”
The airstrikes, reportedly aimed at Islamist militant targets in north-west Nigeria, have sparked debate within U.S. political circles about America’s role in addressing security threats and religious violence in Africa’s most populous nation.
The strikes come against a complex backdrop: during his previous term, former U.S. President Donald Trump designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom—a move the administration of President Bola Tinubu has publicly rejected.
Tinubu’s remarks indicate a willingness to work more closely with the U.S. government in tackling security challenges, even as questions remain over sovereignty, the scope of foreign military involvement, and long-term strategy.
The Nigerian government has not yet released a detailed official position on the strikes themselves, but the First Lady’s comments suggest a shift toward more active engagement with international partners in combating violent extremism.