Nigeria provided the intelligence that led to recent United States airstrikes on terrorist targets in the country, following direct consultations with Washington shortly before the operation, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar has said.
Speaking in a video posted on X on Friday, Tuggar disclosed that he held two phone conversations with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, including one 19 minutes before the strike and another five minutes before it was carried out.
“We understand that there was some reconnaissance done before the strikes. Were we also involved in that and how so? It’s Nigeria that provided the intelligence,” Tuggar said.
He explained that Nigeria’s involvement was part of an ongoing strategy of working with international partners committed to combating terrorism, regardless of religion, victims, or ideology.
“Nigeria has remained consistent in its approach, which is, like the statement says, to work with all partners that are committed to the fight against terrorism, irrespective of what religion, who the victims are, whether they are Muslims or Christians,” he said.
Tuggar stressed that the cooperation was focused strictly on stopping terrorism and protecting lives, not religious considerations.
“We have been working closely with the Americans. This is what we’ve always been hoping for, to work with the Americans, work with other countries to combat terrorism, to stop the death of innocent Nigerians,” he said.
According to the minister, the discussions with Rubio included agreement on Nigeria’s internal authorisation process and public messaging around the strike.
“I was on the phone yesterday for 19 minutes with Secretary of State Marco Rubio of the United States. We spoke extensively and we agreed that I was going to speak with President Tinubu, for President Tinubu to give the go ahead,” Tuggar said.
He added that President Bola Tinubu approved the operation and agreed on coordinated statements clarifying its purpose.
“It was agreed also that the statements that would follow would be statements that would show clearly that it is a strike against terrorism and that it is part of the ongoing joint operations between Nigeria and collaboration between Nigeria and the United States,” he said.
Tuggar said the two countries spoke again shortly before the strike was executed.
“We spoke twice. We spoke for 19 minutes before the strike and then we spoke again for another five minutes before it went on,” he said.
He maintained that the operation was solely about security and protecting lives.
“It is not to do with religion, it is to do with protecting Nigerians and innocent lives of either Nigerians or non Nigerians,” Tuggar said.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
