Hegseth: US will stop killings of Christians in Nigeria

International, North America

INTERNATIONAL (NPA) — United States Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth has disclosed that American forces recently eliminated a top ISIS commander in Nigeria, allegedly responsible for attacks against Christians and threats targeting the United States homeland.

Hegseth made the remarks during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Donald Trump at the White House, where he outlined efforts undertaken by the U.S. government to combat terrorism and protect vulnerable Christian communities in Nigeria.

According to the U.S. defence chief, President Trump had directed the Department of Defence about a year ago to intensify efforts aimed at countering ISIS-linked violence against Christians in Nigeria.

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“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria,” Hegseth said during the meeting.

“He said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything possible to protect those Christians,’” he added.

The secretary noted that the operation required extensive intelligence gathering and strategic partnerships, which he said took time to develop behind the scenes.

According to him, U.S. forces eventually deployed critical assets that led to the successful targeting of ISIS operatives in Nigeria.

“Over the last month, there hasn’t been much coverage of this: we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who was most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” Hegseth stated.

He further disclosed that intelligence obtained during the operation led to subsequent strikes against other ISIS fighters operating within Nigeria, noting that the US will eliminate the killers of Nigerian Christians.

“Because of the intelligence we gathered, we have since killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria, creating a whole new opportunity there,” he said.

The high-ranking U.S. official argued that several national security operations carried out under President Trump’s leadership often receive little public attention despite their strategic significance.

“There is a lot that the President is doing to protect the American people that the President deserves credit for,” Hegseth stated.

Nigeria has continued to battle insurgency and terrorist activities in parts of the country, particularly in the North-East, where extremist groups linked to the Islamic State and Boko Haram have carried out deadly attacks on communities, security personnel, and religious groups over the years.