Renowned lawyer and political analyst PLO Lumumba has questioned the motives behind US President Donald Trump’s announcement of American airstrikes against ISIS-linked militants in northwestern Nigeria.

In a widely circulated video clip shared on X by @thee_alfa_house, Lumumba suggested that the intervention may serve multiple agendas beyond the stated objective of protecting Christian communities.

In the clip, posted on December 26, 2025, Lumumba questioned the messaging surrounding the strikes and the audience Trump may be addressing.

“You know, when we talk about Nigeria, and we talk about the pronouncement of President Trump, many things come to mind. Number one, why is Trump saying what he’s saying? Is he saying it for Christian domestic consumption? Is he the latter-day defender of Christianity?”

“And what I’m saying is a matter of speculation, and I think he’s addressing many audiences. Remember, he rode on the crest of evangelical Christians to become the president for what is now called Trump II. And he’s telling them, “In this day and age, when Christianity is on the decline and Islam is on the ascendance, I am the leader of what can be described as Christianity,” Lumumba stated.

US strikes

The airstrikes, according to BBC, were carried out on Christmas Day 2025 and targeted ISIS camps in Nigeria’s Sokoto state near the Niger border. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the operation, stating it was conducted in coordination with Nigerian authorities, with an initial assessment indicating multiple militant fatalities.

President Trump described the operation as “powerful and deadly,” referring to the targets as “terrorist scum” accused of “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians”.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth thanked Nigerian authorities for their cooperation and posted “Merry Christmas!” on X. The US Department of Defense also released video footage showing a missile launch from a naval vessel.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar described the strikes as a “joint operation” that had been planned for some time and was based on Nigerian-provided intelligence. He stressed that the action had “nothing to do with a particular religion” and said the timing was unrelated to Christmas, adding that it could have taken place on any other day as part of counterterrorism efforts. Tuggar did not rule out further strikes.

Security context and broader debate

Nigeria has battled jihadist groups, including Boko Haram and ISIS-linked factions, for years. The expansion of militant activity into the northwest, involving groups locally known as Lakurawa, is a more recent development. Analysts say these groups have carried out attacks and imposed social controls in parts of Sokoto and Kebbi states over the past 18 months.

Trump’s administration has previously criticized Nigeria over religious freedom, designating it a “country of particular concern.” However, monitoring organizations report no evidence that Christians are killed at higher rates than Muslims, noting that most victims of jihadist violence have been Muslims, particularly in the northeast.