The Defence Headquarters has said intelligence reports confirmed the presence of terrorists in targeted areas before the recent joint airstrikes carried out by the United States and Nigerian forces.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Wednesday while answering questions from journalists in Abuja.
His comments came amid public debate over the outcome of the strikes announced by United States President Donald Trump on Christmas Day. Trump had said the US military carried out lethal attacks on Islamic State targets in northwestern Nigeria. The Federal Government later confirmed the operation, describing it as part of ongoing counterterrorism cooperation between both countries.
Onoja said a battle damage assessment of the operation was still ongoing and assured Nigerians that full details would be released after the process is completed.
“On the United States strikes in conjunction with Nigerian forces, there is a process of battle damage assessment. We are still in that process, and I can assure you that once that is completed, we will communicate to the public all our observations,” he said.
“In due course, we will give you all the information that you require from the US–Nigeria strikes,” he added.
Responding to concerns about whether terrorists were actually at the locations hit by the airstrikes, Onoja said the operation was based strictly on credible intelligence.
“You know, terrorists are ubiquitous, and we cannot confine them to one location,” he said.
“Of course, there is evidence to show that they are in the Sahel. So we can also take it further since the proximity of the Sahel to Sokoto, intelligence reports have confirmed their presence there before those strikes were conducted against them,” Onoja explained.
He stressed that the strikes were not random, noting that intelligence confirmed terrorists were in the areas before action was taken.
“So yes, they were there because those strikes were based on intelligence reports. They have confirmed their presence in those areas. The fact that it was not publicised is sometimes for operational security reasons,” he said.
Onoja also said the military was closely monitoring the movement of terrorists outside the targeted zones to prevent them from escaping into nearby communities.
According to him, the armed forces are working with field commanders and engaging local residents to support security operations through timely and useful information.
He assured Nigerians that the military remains committed to disrupting terrorist activities and strengthening national security through both local and international cooperation.
