Nigeria Supplied Intelligence for US Strike in North West, Tuggar Says

Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has confirmed that Nigerian authorities provided the intelligence that led to the recent United States military strike against terrorist targets in the country, stressing that the operation was a product of close cooperation and had nothing to do with religion.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a programme on Channels Television, Tuggar disclosed that he was in direct communication with the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, shortly before the strike was carried out.

According to him, the two officials spoke twice, first about 19 minutes before the operation and again five minutes before it commenced.

Tuggar said both sides agreed that he would brief President Bola Tinubu to obtain final approval, and that the official statement following the strike would clearly reflect that the action was part of an ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and the United States.

“We agreed that the statement that will follow will be of a cooperation and part of the ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and the United States of America, and it is not to do with religion but to do with protecting Nigerians from terrorists,” the minister said. “This was clear.”

He emphasised that Nigeria has remained consistent in its approach to counterterrorism, working with all partners willing to support the fight against insecurity, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

According to Tuggar, the collaboration with the United States is part of a broader international effort Nigeria has long pursued to curb terrorism and prevent the continued loss of innocent lives.

“This is what we have been hoping for, to work with America and other countries to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians,” he said.

The foreign affairs minister described the development as a vindication of the Tinubu administration, particularly in response to critics who have accused the government of moving slowly on security matters.

“It is a clear indication that we are prepared to work with all partners committed to this cause,” Tuggar added, reaffirming the government’s resolve to tackle terrorism through both domestic and international cooperation.