United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has revealed that former U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to prioritise the protection of Christians in Nigeria targeted by ISIS-linked terrorist groups.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference held at the White House on Wednesday.
According to him, Trump gave the directive about a year ago after receiving reports about increasing attacks on Christians in parts of Nigeria.
“President Trump heard the cries of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria,” Hegseth said.
He explained that Trump instructed the U.S. War Department to focus on efforts aimed at protecting vulnerable Christian communities and combating terrorist threats linked to ISIS.
According to the U.S. defence chief, the operation involved military coordination, intelligence gathering, and deployment of strategic assets in collaboration with Nigerian forces.
Hegseth disclosed that the joint operation recently led to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command in Nigeria.
The terrorist leader was reportedly killed during a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in the Lake Chad Basin earlier this month.
The U.S. official claimed the operation also resulted in the elimination of hundreds of ISIS fighters allegedly involved in attacks on Christians in Nigeria and threats against the United States.
“And have since, because of the intelligence we gathered, killed hundreds of ISIS members targeting Christians in Nigeria,” Hegseth stated.
He added that many of the operations carried out by the Pentagon often receive little public attention despite their impact on counterterrorism efforts.
Hegseth praised Trump for supporting military actions aimed at protecting vulnerable communities and combating extremist threats.
The comments have sparked conversations online, especially regarding the growing insecurity in parts of Nigeria and international cooperation in fighting terrorism.
The Lake Chad region has remained one of the major areas affected by insurgency activities involving ISIS-linked groups and Boko Haram fighters for several years.
Security experts have repeatedly called for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and international partners to tackle terrorism and protect affected communities.
Source: Remarks by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during White House press conference.
