US-Nigeria airstrikes spark fear in northwestern village as details remain unclear

Residents of Jabo, a farming village in northwestern Nigeria, were gripped by fear late Thursday after powerful airstrikes lit up the night sky, an attack later confirmed by authorities as a joint US–Nigerian military operation targeting an alleged Islamic State camp.

Local farmer Sanusi Madabo, 40, said he was preparing for bed when a loud explosion shook his home and the sky turned bright red. The glow lasted for hours, he said, adding that it felt “almost like daytime.” Many residents initially believed a plane had crashed.

US President Donald Trump announced the strike late Thursday, describing it as a “powerful and deadly” attack against what he called ISIS militants in northwestern Nigeria. Nigeria’s government later confirmed the operation, saying it resulted from intelligence sharing and strategic coordination between the two countries.

Villagers told The Associated Press that the airstrikes caused widespread panic, despite no reports of casualties. Jabo has not previously experienced militant attacks, though neighboring communities have faced repeated violence. Security forces later sealed off the area, but authorities have yet to release details on the number of targets or any militant casualties.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar described the strikes as a “new phase of an old conflict,” signaling closer military cooperation with Washington. Analysts say the lack of official information has heightened anxiety among residents.

Some experts believe the strike may have targeted Lakurawa, a little-known armed group operating in the region, though its links to Islamic State remain unclear.

For villagers like Balira Sa’idu, 17, the attack has left deep uncertainty. “Everything has changed,” she said, as preparations for her upcoming wedding were thrown into doubt.