Day 340

First-Ever US Airstrikes in Nigeria: Christmas Day Tomahawk Strikes on Sokoto

On December 25-26, 2025, the United States conducted its first-ever airstrikes in Nigeria, striking targets in Sokoto State, with the Nigerian government's approval, against what both governments described as Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) and Lakurawa camps. A US defense official described over a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from the USS Paul Ignatius; Nigeria's information minister described 16 GPS-guided munitions fired from MQ-9 Reaper drones. Some local residents reported no history of ISIS presence, and at least four missile warheads failed to explode and landed in nearby villages.