Did ISWAP Retaliate To U.S. Airstrikes in Sokoto?
On January 8, 2026,an X user @OurFavOnlineDoc, claimed that 11 Christians were killed, and churches razed down across Nigeria, following the U.S airstrikes in Sokoto state.
The post has an image of 3 armed men with rifles, waiting to execute their captors with a caption that reads,
““TERRORISTS SLAUGHTER 11 CHRISTIANS AND BURNT DOWN CHURCH IN NIGERIA – AS DIRECT REVENGE FOR AMERICAN STRIKES IN SOKOTO. The Islamic State’s West Africa branch has claimed responsibility for the cold-blooded execution of 11 Christians and the burning of a church in the village of Mondag, Adamawa, in direct retaliation for U.S. missile strikes launched by Donald Trump on December 25. The terrorists stormed the Christian village just two days after U.S. forces, with Nigeria’s cooperation, pounded jihadist camps with cruise missiles**, inflicting heavy losses on IS positions in Sokoto. What followed was textbook Islamist vengeance: when they’re hit militarily, they murder civilians, especially Christians. In Mondag, ISWAP gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons, burned a church to the ground, and burnt homes, forcing survivors to flee into the bush. The massacre, confirmed by multiple Nigerian security outlets, was proudly claimed by jihadist propaganda channels as a message of defiance to the USA. This is a religious war, and Christians are being hunted. Nigeria has become ground zero in what many now call a genocide in slow motion: thousands of Christians murdered in a decade while the world looks away. The latest bloodshed in Adamawa is just one more reminder, that radical Islamists don’t negotiate, they exterminate. And when the West strikes back, innocent believers pay the price.” Shared as received.”
When this report was published, the post had over 97,500 views and about 6,700 replies, reposts, quotes, likes and bookmarks. In the comment section, @Okafornnewi said “After all this killings, the federal government will say they have repented. APC is terrorists organization.” while @ucyberry wrote “The brutal attacks by ISWAP militants on predominantly Christian villages in Adamawa State killing at least 15 innocent people, burning churches and homes, and issuing forced conversion threats are acts of pure evil and religious hatred that must be universally condemned. No faith or ideology justifies such savagery against civilians. Heartbroken for the victims and their families; this ongoing jihadist terror in Nigeria is a profound tragedy that demands stronger global action to protect vulnerable communities.”
VERIFICATION
NV-A conducted a reverse Google image search on the image used in the claim and found that it has been online since on June 7, 2024, showing members of the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP executing three Christian men in Borno state.
Nigeria’s Current Security Situation
Nigeria’s security situation is extremely complex. Multiple armed groups including Boko Haram, ISWAP, extremist dissidents like Lakurawa, and criminal bandits, operate in different regions.
On December 25, 2025, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S., Africa Command, conducted airstrikes against ISIS-linked militants in northwest Nigeria’s Sokoto State. He said that the attacks were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities and aimed at militants killing Christians.
What Really Happened
Independent security reporting indicates that militants associated with the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked villages in Adamawa at the end of December 2025, including an assault where 11 Christians were killed, houses were burned, and a church was destroyed. The attackers reportedly looted property and used language portraying Christians as enemies.
Religion Unplugged reported that ISWAP released footage and statements claiming Christian communities were “legitimate targets” and urging conversion or payment of a tax (jizyah) to avoid death. However, this reporting does not definitively establish that the statement was a formal claim of responsibility specifically tying the Adamawa killings to the U.S. strikes. It notes related footage and rhetoric attributed to the group, and analysts link some of the violence to retaliation for counter-terror operations, but direct official ISWAP statements claiming those exact acts in those precise terms are not clearly confirmed.
The analysis and reports noting that the recent attack was influenced by the broader counter-terrorism pressure, are interpretations rather than a documented claim of revenge from ISWAP in response to Trump’s actions.
CONCLUSION
The claim that ISWAP killed 11 Christians were killed, and razed down churches is TRUE. The incident being referenced happened in Adamawa, not across Nigeria and while analysts describe the attack as a retaliation to the U.S. missile strikes, the extremist group did not reference it in the video where they claimed responsibility. The image used is also MISLEADING, as it dates back to June 2024, when ISWAP executed 3 Christians in Borno state.
