Did The US Just Hit The 'Wrong' Village in Nigeria With No History of Any ISIS Activity?

On the evening of Dec. 26, 2025, the United States carried out airstrikes in Sokoto State, north-west Nigeria, purportedly against Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) militants at the request of the Federal Government of Nigeria. Donald Trump described the action on social media as a 'powerful and deadly strike' against ISIS fighters in the region, asserting that militants had been 'targeting and brutally killing ... innocent Christians'.

Nigeria's authorities confirmed that the airstrikes were conducted in coordination with the US military, with the Foreign Ministry emphasising ongoing security cooperation to counter terrorism and violent extremism. Yet residents and local representatives in Jabo describe a village that has seen no ISIS presence and little of the sort of militant violence that might justify such strikes.

Counterterrorism and Cooperation

The Trump administration publicly framed the strikes as part of a broader effort to degrade ISIS-linked elements believed to be operating in north-west Nigeria. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) officials said the operation, authorised by the president and conducted with Nigerian approval, involved precision strikes against 'identified foreign elements linked to ISIS'.

Nigerian Armed Forces spokesperson Lieutenant-General Samaila Uba stated that joint precision strike operations were carried out against foreign elements linked to Islamic State operating in the 'northwest zones of Nigeria,' based on shared intelligence and thorough planning.

According to reports, the strikes targeted two ISIS-linked camps in the Bauni forest of Sokoto State, using 16 GPS-guided missiles launched from drones and other platforms in the Gulf of Guinea. Officials said the camps were allegedly used by foreign ISIS operatives collaborating with local affiliates to plan attacks.

No civilian casualties were reported by Nigerian or US authorities, although debris from expended munitions fell near Jabo and other locations.

Local Accounts: No ISIS History, Only Fear And Confusion

Residents of Jabo, a small agricultural community in Sokoto State, told The Associated Press that they were terrified by the sudden explosions and fiery glow in the night sky, unaware of any militant camps in or around their village.

Sanusi Madabo, a local farmer, said he was preparing for bed when a loud noise sounded like a plane crash and the sky lit up red. Villagers reported homes shaking and a fire breaking out after what they later learned were missiles striking nearby fields.

Bashar Isah Jabo, a lawmaker representing the Tambuwal district in the Sokoto State assembly, described his constituency as a 'peaceful community' with 'no known history of ISIS, Lakurawa, or any other terrorist groups operating in the area'.

Local residents also noted that Muslims and Christians in Jabo coexist peacefully, with no recent incidents of extremist violence reported in the village. Debris from the strikes landed about 500 metres from the village's primary health centre, authorities said, causing panic but no direct casualties.

Analysing the Targeting Claims

Security analysts and reporting suggest that the group targeted in the strikes might have been Lakurawa, a lesser-known militant organisation active in north-west Nigeria and suspected by some to have ties with ISIS or operate as an affiliate.

However, experts say the evidence for direct links between Lakurawa and the Islamic State is limited. The principal ISIS affiliate in Nigeria historically has been the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which predominantly operates in the country's north-east, far from Sokoto.

The broader jihadi threat in West Africa does include trans-regional fighters and networks. Nigerian authorities cited intelligence indicating the presence of foreign fighters entering from the Sahel region, using forested areas as staging grounds.

Still, the mismatch between the official narrative and local testimony has fuelled scepticism among villagers and some analysts. Critics argue that the strike's location near a community without known extremist activity undermines claims of precise targeting, particularly given Nigeria's multiple armed factions and complex security environment.

Independent verification of militant casualties remains absent, with neither Nigerian nor US officials releasing detailed assessments of the strike's outcomes.

The US-backed airstrikes in north-west Nigeria have sparked legitimate questions about target selection and the presence of ISIS in areas like Jabo that villagers describe as peaceful. The lack of independent casualty reports and detailed government disclosures has left a gap between official narratives and experiences on the ground. Until clear evidence is provided, the suspicion that the 'wrong village' was hit will persist.

A night that began with fear in a quiet community could become a symbol of wider uncertainties in global counterterrorism efforts.