U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Nigeria if what he called the “systematic killing of Christians by Islamic terrorists” does not stop.
Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare for a potential military intervention in Nigeria.
In a post published on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote:
“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the United States will immediately halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria — and we may move toward that country with all our firepower to completely eliminate the Islamic terrorists committing these horrific atrocities.”
He added:
“I am directing the Department of War to be ready for any potential military action. If we are attacked, our response will be swift and severe — just as those murderous terrorists attack our beloved Christians.”
Trump concluded his post with a direct warning:
“The Nigerian government had better act fast.”
Accusations Without Evidence
These remarks came shortly after Trump designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern”, claiming that Christianity faces an “existential threat” there.
He alleged that “thousands of Christians are being killed, and Islamist extremists are responsible for this genocide” — without providing any evidence to substantiate his claims.
U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth echoed Trump’s tone, declaring:
“Either Nigeria protects its Christians, or we will eliminate the Islamic terrorists committing these atrocities.”
He added that “the killing of innocent Christians must stop — in Nigeria and anywhere else.”
Nigeria Rejects Trump’s Remarks
In response, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected Trump’s statements, saying that labelling Nigeria as a country of religious intolerance “does not reflect the national reality.”
He affirmed that “freedom of religion and tolerance have always been foundational principles of Nigeria’s identity.”
Tinubu added that his country constitutionally guarantees protection for all citizens, regardless of faith.
Complex Realities Behind the Violence
Nigeria has been facing security turmoil for years, especially in the northeastern regions, where the militant group Boko Haram operates.
Additionally, frequent clashes between herders and farmers in the country’s central areas often take on a religious tone — though their roots are largely economic and social.
Nigeria is almost evenly divided between a Muslim-majority north and a Christian-majority south.
This demographic and political reality has made the country’s religious tensions extremely sensitive, particularly in light of Washington’s recent rhetoric, which many observers view as politically motivated and Islamophobic.
Editorial and Contextual Note
Trump’s framing of the crisis — depicting Muslims broadly as aggressors — reflects a recurring Western political pattern of exploiting African instability for geopolitical leverage.
Muslim scholars and analysts emphasise that Nigeria’s unrest stems primarily from poverty, corruption, and ethnic rivalries, not from any organised Islamic hostility toward Christians.
Thus, attempts to rebrand a complex local struggle as a “Christian persecution campaign” risk deepening divisions and fuelling anti-Muslim sentiment worldwide.
