The Nigerian Federal Government has confirmed that explosions and property damage reported in Offa, Kwara State, on Christmas night were caused by debris from expended munitions during a joint U.S.-Nigeria precision strike against Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist enclaves in Sokoto State.
The operation, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, targeted two major ISIS camps in the Bauni forest area of Tangaza Local Government, Sokoto State. These sites served as assembly and staging grounds for foreign ISIS elements infiltrating from the Sahel region, in collaboration with local affiliates, to plan large-scale attacks in Nigeria, according to a statement released Friday by Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris.
"During the course of the operation, debris from expended munitions fell in Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, and in Offa, Kwara State, near the premises of a hotel," Idris stated. "No civilian casualties were recorded in either location, and relevant authorities promptly secured the affected areas."
The strikes, executed between 00:12 and 01:30 hours on December 26, 2025, involved 16 GPS-guided precision munitions deployed via MQ-9 Reaper drones, launched from maritime platforms in the Gulf of Guinea. U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) reported that multiple ISIS terrorists were killed in the camps, describing the action as conducted "in coordination with Nigerian authorities".
Residents in Offa reported loud explosions around midnight on December 25, causing panic, damaged buildings—including near a hotel and the Eid praying ground—and property destruction. The debris landed over 600 kilometres (370 miles) south of the strike zone, an unusual distance attributed to fragments from expended or failed munitions.
The Nigerian government reiterated its commitment to combating transnational threats, assuring citizens of continued vigilance.
