A US congressman has praised American airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Nigeria for preventing militant attacks on Christians over Christmas, marking a shift from deadly violence that marred the holiday in previous years.
Riley Moore, a Republican lawmaker from West Virginia, highlighted the operation as a decisive step under President Donald Trump to curb jihadist threats in the West African nation.
“For the past two Christmases, Christians have been murdered in Nigeria. This year, thanks to @POTUS, Radical Islamic Terrorists were on the receiving end of 12 Tomahawk missiles as a present,” Moore posted on X on Saturday.
“The successful strikes on ISIS, in coordination with the Nigerian government, are just the first step to secure the country and end the slaughter of our brothers and sisters in Christ,” he added.
Trump announced the strikes on Thursday via his Truth Social platform, declaring that US forces had delivered “numerous perfect strikes” against the extremists in northwestern Nigeria, with vows of further action if assaults on Christians persist.
Nigeria’s federal government confirmed the joint airstrikes the following day, underscoring ongoing collaboration to combat terrorism.
The comments come against a backdrop of recent festive-season bloodshed: in 2023, at least 140 people died in attacks on villages in Plateau state on Christmas Eve, while 2024 saw herdsmen kill 33 in Benue state’s Christian communities on Christmas Day.
Moore’s statement frames the US intervention as a direct counter to such patterns, positioning it as an initial move toward broader security enhancements in the region.
