John Hayab, the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the northern region, has said that the U.S. military operation in Sokoto is a welcome development.

Mr Hayab, in an interview with Peoples Gazette on Friday, also sought a continuation of Nigerian-U.S. military collaboration until all terrorists are eliminated.

“For us as citizens, all we want is an end to these killings,” said Mr Hayab. “If attacks on terrorists will bring an end to the killing of Nigerians, whether they are Muslims or Christians, we welcome it.”

He added, “If Trump will collaborate with the Tinubu government to kill the terrorists, it is a welcome idea. Let it not be just a one-off thing. They should continue until every terrorist is defeated and eliminated.”

The CAN leader also commended President Bola Tinubu’s government for collaborating with U.S. authorities to deal with terrorists wreaking havoc across the country.

Meanwhile, Kaduna-based cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi kicked against the idea, saying it was an attack on Islam.

After designating Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern over alleged Christian genocide and threatening to invade the country to eliminate terrorists killing Christians, President Donald Trump, on Thursday, announced that the U.S. military carried out a series of air strikes against terrorist targets in the northern part of Nigeria, marking America’s first kinetic action in the West African country.

This strike comes barely a month after Mr Trump designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, threatening military invasion to eliminate terrorists killing Christians in Nigeria.