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Battle Damage Assessment Ongoing After Joint US-Nigeria Strikes – DH
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said a detailed battle damage assessment of the recent precision strikes conducted by United States forces in collaboration with the Nigerian military is still ongoing.
The strikes, announced by US President Donald Trump on Christmas Day, targeted Islamic State positions in northwestern Nigeria. The Federal Government confirmed the joint operation, describing it as part of ongoing counterterrorism cooperation.
Despite the confirmation, there has been public debate over whether the strikes were successful.
Addressing the issue on Wednesday, Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, provided an update while responding to questions on whether terrorists were present at the targeted locations.
He said intelligence reports confirmed that the targeted areas were indeed occupied by terrorist elements prior to the strikes.
“The strikes were based on verified indigenous intelligence, which confirmed the presence of terrorists in those locations. The assessment of operational outcomes is still ongoing, and we will provide detailed information to the public in due course,” Onoja said.
The strikes, carried out in the North-West, are part of an intensified effort to dismantle foreign and local terrorist networks attempting to infiltrate Nigeria via the Sahel corridor. Authorities confirmed that no civilian casualties were reported and that security agencies swiftly secured areas where debris from munitions had landed.
Onoja also highlighted the importance of civilian cooperation in preventing further attacks. He urged residents to report any suspicious movements or activities to security agencies, noting that such intelligence is vital in mapping terrorist cells and thwarting future plots.
He further cited the recent arrest of a suspected suicide bomber as a key development that helped the military track terrorist networks and extract critical operational information. “Arrests like these are significant because they enable us to map networks, prevent attacks, and disrupt the logistical chains of terrorists,” he explained.
The DHQ reassured Nigerians that the Armed Forces remain committed to safeguarding lives and property, while emphasizing that some operational details will remain classified for security reasons. Citizens are also urged to report any debris from the strikes to prevent potential hazards.
With the ongoing operations, the Defence Headquarters said that the military is closely monitoring terrorist movements to prevent infiltration into communities, stressing the continued use of both kinetic and intelligence-driven operations across the North-West region.
