On Friday morning, the Nigerian foreign ministry said authorities were engaged in "security co-operation with international partners, including the United States of America, in addressing the persistent threat of terrorist and violent extremism".
"This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West," the statement added.
Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and IS-linked offshoots he wrought hoc in north-eastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people.
Most victims he been Muslims, according to Acled, a group that analyses political violence around the world.
Nigerian human rights lawyer and conflict analyst Bulama Bukati speculated that Thursday's strikes had targeted a relatively new IS-aligned splinter group, which originated in the Sahel region and has recently moved its fighters to Nigeria.
The largest IS-linked group in Nigeria - Islamic State West Africa Province - operates in the north-east of the country, he told BBC World Service, while the smaller group - known locally as Lakurawa - has sought to establish a base in north-western Sokoto state.
He continued: "They started slipping into Nigeria in 2018 but over the past 18 months or two years they established camps in Sokoto state and Kebbi state.
"They he been launching attacks and imposing their social laws over people in Sokoto state over the past 18 months or so."
Local lawmaker Bashar Isah Jabo was adamant that the village had no IS or Lakurawa members at all, and he said the area where the missile fell was less than 500m (1,600ft) from a hospital.
According to BBC Monitoring, a pro-IS social media channel has been reporting on regular US reconnaissance flights in Sokoto, as well as in the north-eastern state of Borno, where the Nigeria's largest IS-linked group has its stronghold.
The Nigeria strikes are the second major US intervention targeting IS in recent weeks.
Last week, the US said it had carried out a "massive strike" against IS in Syria.
US Central Command (Centcom) said fighter jets, attack helicopters and artillery had struck more than 70 targets. Aircraft from Jordan were also involved.
Those strikes were launched in retaliation for the killing of three Americans - two soldiers and a civilian interpreter - in an ambush.