United States President Donald Trump has warned that American forces could be deployed to Nigeria or launch air strikes against Islamist militants, citing what he described as “record numbers” of Christians being killed in the country.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday evening as he returned to Washington from his Florida residence, Trump said he was considering “many options” to halt the killings.
“It could be,” he said when asked if he was weighing a ground deployment. “A lot of things are being looked at. They are killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria. That part of the world is very bad, very dangerous. We are not going to allow that to happen.”
Trump’s comments came barely 24 hours after he ordered the U.S. military to prepare for possible action in Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to protect Christian communities.
In a social media post on Saturday, the U.S. leader said he had instructed the Department of War to “prepare for possible action” and threatened to cut off aid to Nigeria unless the government acted swiftly.
“If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet—just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” Trump wrote.
He also warned that unless the Nigerian authorities stopped the killings, he could send American forces “guns-a-blazing.”
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly endorsed the statement, replying: “Yes sir. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
The warning followed the U.S. administration’s decision to return Nigeria to its list of “Countries of Particular Concern” - nations accused of serious violations of religious freedom. Others on the list include China, Russia, North Korea, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
Trump claimed that “thousands” of Christians had been killed in Nigeria, though he provided no evidence to support the assertion.
Nigeria reacts with caution
The U.S. president’s comments have stirred anxiety in Nigeria, with many citizens taking to social media to urge their government to strengthen military operations against jihadist groups to forestall possible foreign intervention.
Daniel Bwala, an adviser to President Bola Tinubu, told the BBC that while Nigeria would welcome cooperation with the United States in fighting Islamist militants, such collaboration must respect Nigeria’s sovereignty.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation,” Bwala said. “We welcome support from the United States in combating terrorism, but it has to be done jointly. The jihadists have killed people from all religions - Christians, Muslims, and others.”
Bwala, who is also a Christian pastor, described Trump’s statement as typical of his “unique communication style,” saying Nigerians were not interpreting it as a literal threat.
“We understand that his intention is to help us address insecurity,” he said, adding that he hoped Trump and Tinubu would meet soon to discuss counterterrorism cooperation.
Tinubu rejects claims of religious persecution
President Tinubu, responding to Nigeria’s re-listing as a “Country of Particular Concern,” dismissed the characterisation of the country as intolerant of religious freedom.
“The description of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our reality,” Tinubu said in a statement. “Our security challenges affect people of all faiths and across regions.”
For more than a decade, Boko Haram and its offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have waged an insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions. However, conflict-monitoring organisations such as the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) report that the majority of victims have been Muslims.
In Nigeria’s central region, longstanding clashes between mostly Muslim herders and largely Christian farmers over land and water access have also led to thousands of deaths. Human rights groups say the violence is driven more by competition for natural resources than religious persecution.
A growing diplomatic flashpoint
Trump’s remarks have struck a chord among conservative and evangelical groups in the U.S., who have long accused Nigeria’s government of failing to protect Christians. However, analysts say the narrative of a “Christian genocide” lacks credible evidence.
Though Trump has often highlighted his record of avoiding foreign conflicts, his latest threat suggests a readiness to project U.S. power abroad in response to domestic political pressure.
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