The Federal Government has confirmed that President Bola Tinubu authorised the recent United States airstrikes against terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, disclosed this on Friday, shortly after the U.S. Department of War and President Donald Trump announced that American forces had carried out coordinated strikes against the terror groups.

Speaking on Channels Television, Tuggar said the President approved the operation with a clear directive that it must be jointly executed and properly framed.

“Now that the United States is cooperating, it is being done jointly. As the President emphasised before giving his approval, it must be clearly understood that this is a joint operation and not an action directed at any religion,” he said.

Tuggar stressed that Nigeria remains a multi-religious nation and that the collaboration with the U.S. is solely aimed at combating terrorism and protecting lives and property across the country.

“We are working with partners like the United States to confront terrorism and ensure the safety of Nigerians.

“It was Nigeria that provided intelligence for the US strike in Nigeria. I spoke with US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, for 19 minutes before the strike and we agreed to talk to President Tinubu for his go ahead and he gave it. After the approval, I spoke again with Marco Rabio 5 minutes before the strike was launched against the terrorists,” he said

Addressing concerns that the strikes could amount to a breach of Nigeria’s territorial integrity, the minister dismissed such claims, insisting that the operation does not undermine the country’s sovereignty.

“This is a collaboration—something we have consistently called for,” Tuggar said during the programme, reiterating that Nigeria would not support any action that violates its sovereign authority.