Marco Rubio pledges continued counterterrorism pact with Nigeria

The United States will maintain active counterterrorism cooperation with Nigeria, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Tuesday. He highlighted a recent joint operation that successfully eliminated a high-ranking ISIS figure operating within Nigeria as a key example of the ongoing collaboration.

Rubio made these remarks while testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding the State Department's Fiscal Year 2027 budget request. He also voiced U.S. concerns about alleged violence targeting Christians in Nigeria, assuring that the United States would continue to provide support in addressing these issues.

"Nigeria, where we were all, many were very concerned about violence against Christians. We are now actively in counterterrorism cooperation with the Nigerian government and Nigerian security forces, including a joint operation a couple of weeks ago that took out the number two leader of global ISIS operating from inside of the country, and that continues," Rubio stated.

This security collaboration has deepened under the current administration. In May 2026, U.S. and Nigerian forces conducted joint strikes against the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), an ISIS affiliate, in northeastern Nigeria. President Donald Trump had previously announced the elimination of Abu Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS's global number-two leader, who was based in Nigeria. The Nigerian military and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu confirmed the operation, noting Nigeria's crucial intelligence contribution.

Further U.S.-Nigeria security actions include U.S. airstrikes in December that targeted a terrorist enclave in Sokoto, resulting in an unspecified number of casualties. Nigeria has long grappled with persistent threats from extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, which have been responsible for numerous deaths, widespread displacement, and attacks on civilians, particularly in the northern regions and the Middle Belt. The U.S.-Nigeria cooperation intensified after the Trump administration designated Nigeria a country of particular concern due to alleged violence against Christians, a designation the Nigerian federal government has contested, advocating instead for cooperation.

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Nigeria, where we were all, many were very concerned about violence against Christians. We are now actively in counterterrorism cooperation with the Nigerian government and Nigerian security forces, including a joint operation a couple of weeks ago that took out the number two leader of global ISIS operating from inside of the country, and that continues.