The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says a battle damage assessment of recent United States strikes carried out alongside Nigerian forces is still ongoing.
US President Donald Trump announced on Christmas Day that American forces had conducted lethal strikes against Islamic State targets in northwestern Nigeria. The Federal Government confirmed the joint operation as part of ongoing counterterrorism cooperation, though debate continues over the strikes’ effectiveness.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, said the military would release findings once the assessment is complete. “We are still in the process of battle damage assessment. Once completed, we will communicate all our observations to the public,” he said.
Onoja confirmed that intelligence reports verified the presence of terrorists in the targeted areas prior to the strikes, adding that such details are sometimes withheld for operational security. He noted that the military continues to monitor terrorist movements beyond strike locations and is coordinating with field commanders to prevent infiltration into communities.
The armed forces are also engaging civilians to provide timely information to security agencies. “Security can only be addressed through the cooperation of every member of society. It’s a whole-of-society approach,” Onoja said.
He further appealed to the public to return any ammunition or fragments from the operation to security authorities to prevent potential hazards.
Responding to criticisms of the strikes, Onoja emphasized that the military focuses on operations, while other relevant agencies handle public concerns. He added that the recent arrest of a suspected suicide bomber disrupted planned terrorist activities and assured that military operations against insurgent groups would continue into the new year.