'Merry Christmas to dead terrorists': US strikes ISIS terrorists in Nigeria, video emerges

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States launched a “powerful and deadly” strike against “ISIS Terrorist Scum” in Nigeria. In a post on social media, he said that the country “will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper.”

In a statement issued on Christmas Day, Trump said he directed the strike as Commander in Chief. “Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!”

“I have previously warned these terrorists,” Trump said. “If they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay. Tonight, there was.”

He added that the Department of War carried out several “perfect strikes”. He emphasised that under his leadership, the US would remain aggressive against such groups. Trump ended his post by wishing a Merry Christmas to the military, while warning of more strikes if the violence continues.

“May God bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” Trump's post read.

The president’s post did not include information about how the strike was carried out, or its effects, and the White House did not immediately provide further details.

Meanwhile, US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said it conducted strikes against ISIS terrorists in Nigeria on December 25, 2025, in Sokoto State "at the direction of the President of the United States and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with Nigerian authorities."

“More strikes to come”

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth threatened there would be “more to come” if the group does not stop going after “innocent Christians in Nigeria [and elsewhere].”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for more details on the strikes, including the number of those affected or the type of weaponry used.

Christianity faces ‘existential threat’

The US recently designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.

The strikes were launched after Trump, starting in late October, began warning that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria and threatened to militarily intervene in the West African country over what he says is its failure to stop violence targeting Christian communities.

Reuters reported on Monday that the US had been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over large parts of Nigeria since late November.

Last month, Trump said he had ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria following the claims of Christian persecution.

The State Department then announced in recent weeks that it would restrict visas for Nigerians and their family members involved in mass killings and violence against Christians in the West African country.

What has Nigeria said?

Nigeria's government has said armed groups target both Muslims and Christians, and the US claims that Christians face persecution, which does not represent a complex security situation and ignores efforts to safeguard religious freedom.

But it has agreed to work with the US to bolster its forces against militant groups.

The country's population is split between Muslims living primarily in the north and Christians in the south.