U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to start planning potential military action in Nigeria, citing concerns over the government’s handling of alleged persecution of Christians in the West African country. He also warned that the U.S. could immediately halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria.
Trump posted on social media that if the Nigerian government continues to allow attacks on Christians, the U.S. “may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists committing these horrible atrocities.” He directed the Department of War to prepare for swift military action if necessary, describing it as “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
The warning followed Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejecting Trump’s earlier designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” for allegedly failing to curb Christian persecution. Tinubu emphasized that religious freedom and tolerance are core to Nigeria’s identity and constitutional law, and the government opposes any form of religious persecution.
Trump has claimed that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” attributing the violence to radical Islamists, echoing U.S. Senator Ted Cruz’s calls for Congress to recognize Nigeria as violating religious freedom due to alleged mass killings of Christians.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country with about 220 million people, is almost evenly split between Christians and Muslims. Security challenges in the country include attacks by extremist groups such as Boko Haram, communal clashes over resources, ethnic conflicts, and secessionist movements. Analysts note that while Christians are sometimes targeted, most victims of violence are Muslims in northern Nigeria.
Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the country’s commitment to protecting all citizens regardless of faith, highlighting the nation’s diversity as a strength.
The U.S. first placed Nigeria on the “country of particular concern” list in 2020 for broader religious freedom violations, a designation lifted in 2023 amid efforts to improve bilateral relations.