ABUJA, Jan 15 (AGCNewsNet) – The United States has delivered what it described as “critical military supplies” to Nigeria, days after carrying out airstrikes on Christmas Day targeting militant groups in the country’s volatile northwest, in a move that signals renewed and strengthened security cooperation between Washington and Abuja.

In a statement posted on social media platform X on Tuesday, the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM) confirmed the delivery, saying it supports Nigeria’s ongoing security operations and underscores the shared partnership between both countries. USAFRICOM did not disclose the nature or quantity of the military equipment delivered.

The aid follows U.S. airstrikes conducted on December 25 in Sokoto State, which Nigerian authorities described as a joint operation against targets linked to the Islamic State group. The strikes marked a notable shift in bilateral relations, which had deteriorated late last year after U.S. President Donald Trump characterised violence in Nigeria as a “persecution” and “genocide” against Christians — a claim strongly rejected by the Nigerian government and independent analysts.

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is grappling with multiple overlapping security challenges, including a jihadist insurgency in the northeast that began in 2009, banditry and militant violence in the northwest, and separatist agitation in the southeast. The country is broadly divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south.

The latest development comes as Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, signed a lobbying agreement worth $750,000 per month with U.S.-based firm DCI Group. According to disclosure forms filed with the U.S. Department of Justice and reviewed by AFP, the firm was hired to help Abuja communicate its efforts to protect Christian communities and maintain U.S. support in the fight against jihadist groups and other destabilising elements in West Africa.

A few days before the Christmas strikes, Nigeria’s Minister of Information said diplomatic tensions with Washington had been resolved, resulting in what he described as a strengthened partnership between both countries.

A Nigerian source familiar with post-strike security arrangements told AFP that future air operations would be led by the Nigerian Air Force, with the United States providing intelligence support through reconnaissance flights. The source added that Abuja remains open to further U.S. strikes if necessary.

However, the strikes have also generated unease in Nigeria after President Trump publicly claimed full credit for the operation. Adding to the uncertainty, Trump later told the New York Times that while he preferred the strike to be a one-time action, further attacks could follow if violence against Christians continued.

Nigeria remains designated by the U.S. State Department as a “country of particular concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom. While Nigerian authorities say the strikes targeted Islamic State fighters, members of the Lakurawa jihadist group and armed bandit gangs, the number of casualties and their affiliations remain unclear.

Local and international journalists who visited affected areas reported damage to farmland and civilian buildings, as well as injuries among civilians, raising questions about the impact of the operation on non-combatants.

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