Former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has strongly endorsed the recent joint US-Nigeria airstrikes against ISIS-linked terrorists, arguing that confronting such global threats requires collective international action and should not fall solely on Nigeria’s shoulders.
His statement came as the United States formally thanked Nigeria for its cooperation in the Christmas Day military operations in the North-West region, which mark a significant escalation in bilateral security ties.
In the wake of the coordinated strikes, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth publicly acknowledged Nigeria’s role. “Grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation,” Hegseth stated on social media.
He directly linked the action to President Donald Trump’s earlier warnings, adding, “The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end.”
President Trump himself confirmed the operation, issuing a characteristically stark Christmas message: “May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists.”
Weighing in on the development, former Senator Ben Murray-Bruce framed the collaboration as both necessary and responsible. “ISIS remains a grave threat to global peace and security. Confronting such a menace should never be Nigeria’s burden alone, especially given our limited resources,” Murray-Bruce stated. “It is far more effective, and responsible, when the international community acts collectively.”
He explicitly commended the leadership of both President Trump and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, adding, “I fully support the strikes. They were necessary, justified, and ultimately the right course of action.”
The Nigerian government confirmed the security collaboration through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa clarified that the operations were part of “ongoing structured cooperation” involving “the exchange of intelligence, strategic coordination, and other forms of support consistent with international law and mutual respect for sovereignty.”
The military, through the Director of Defence Information Maj.-Gen. Samaila Uba, stated the precision strikes successfully targeted “identified foreign ISIS-linked elements” who had expanded beyond their traditional North-East stronghold, aiming to “maximally degrade” their capabilities.
This joint military engagement represents a tangible strategic shift, occurring just weeks after the U.S. State Department designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over violence against religious communities. The operation signals a move from diplomatic criticism to active, on-the-ground partnership against a common terrorist threat.
Both Nigerian authorities and the former senator emphasized that the fight is against terrorism in all its forms. The Foreign Affairs ministry stressed that “terrorist violence, whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities remains an affront to Nigeria’s values,” a sentiment underscoring the government’s stated commitment to protecting all citizens equally.
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