Pete Hegseth says President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to prioritise the protection of Christians in Nigeria targeted by ISIS-linked groups.
Hegseth disclosed this during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday while speaking on recent counterterrorism operations involving U.S. and Nigerian forces.
According to him, Trump gave the directive about a year ago after receiving reports about attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
He explained that the operation involved intelligence coordination and deployment of military assets in collaboration with Nigerian authorities.
According to Hegseth, the operation contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command in Nigeria, during a joint operation in the Lake Chad Basin earlier this month.
He added that intelligence gathered during the operation also led to the killing of hundreds of ISIS fighters allegedly linked to attacks on Christians in Nigeria and plots against the United States.
“And have since, because of the intel we gathered, killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria,” he said.
Hegseth described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism and the protection of vulnerable communities.
The U.S. defence chief further stated that some of the administration’s security operations receive little public attention despite their strategic significance.
Nigeria has faced years of insurgency and attacks by extremist groups operating in parts of the North-East and the Lake Chad region, with both local and international forces collaborating on counterterrorism operations.
