On the evening of December 25, the United States struck sites in Sokoto state in what Nigeria called a "joint" operation on targets linked to the Islamic State group.

"This delivery supports Nigeria's ongoing operations and emphasizes our shared security partnership," US Africa Command said on X, without giving details.

The December bombardments marked a turnaround after ties plummeted late last year when US President Donald Trump said violence in Nigeria amounted to the "persecution" and "genocide" of Christians.

The Nigerian government and independent analysts reject that framing, long used by the US and European religious right.

Africa's most populous country, roughly split between a mostly Muslim north and mostly Christian south, faces myriad and sometimes overlapping armed conflicts, including a jihadist insurgency raging since 2009.

Days before the US strikes, Nigeria's information minister said the "spat" with Washington had been resolved, "culminating in a strengthened partnership between America and Nigeria".

Last week, a Nigerian source familiar with the post-strike security arrangement told AFP the Nigerian air force would take the lead in future strikes, with the United States supplying intelligence from reconnaissance flights.

Abuja remains open to future US strikes, the source said.

While the strikes marked an improvement from Trump's earlier threats of unilateral military intervention, they caused headaches in Abuja when the US leader took complete credit for them.

Trump recently told The New York Times: "I'd love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians it will be a many-time strike."

The Nigerian government said the strikes targeted Islamic State fighters, members of the Lakurawa jihadist group and "bandit" gangs, though it is unknown how many were killed, and from which groups.

However, local and international journalists have only been able to confirm damage to farmland and civilian buildings as well as injuries among civilians.

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THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY