‎Trump directive led to anti-ISIS operations in Nigeria — Hegseth

‎United States Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, has disclosed that President Donald Trump personally directed the Pentagon to intensify efforts against ISIS-linked groups operating in Nigeria following reports of attacks targeting Christians.
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‎Hegseth made the revelation during a White House briefing on Wednesday, stating that the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of growing violence against Christian communities in parts of Nigeria.
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‎According to him, the operation involved intelligence gathering, strategic coordination, and military deployments carried out in collaboration with Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
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‎He said the operation contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of ISIS in the region and a key figure allegedly linked to attacks on Christians and threats against the United States.
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‎“President Trump instructed the Department of Defense to ensure that every possible step was taken to protect vulnerable Christian communities facing attacks from ISIS elements in Nigeria,” Hegseth said during the briefing.
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‎The U.S. defense chief added that intelligence obtained from the mission led to multiple successful operations against extremist fighters across the region.
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‎Hegseth noted that several ISIS operatives had been eliminated in recent months, describing the campaign as part of Washington’s broader counterterrorism strategy in West Africa.
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‎The development comes amid heightened concerns over extremist violence in parts of northern Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region, where armed groups linked to the Islamic State continue to operate despite sustained military offensives by regional forces.
‎Neither the Nigerian Presidency nor the Ministry of Defence had officially responded to Hegseth’s remarks as of press time.
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