International
Trump Threatens Military Action In Nigeria, Accuses Tinubu Government Of Failing To Protect Christians
Trump declared that the United States would “immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” and warned that the Nigerian government must “move fast” to curb violence.
United States President Donald Trump said Saturday he has ordered the Defense Department to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria, accusing the West African nation of failing to stop what he described as the “mass slaughter” of Christians — a claim the Nigerian government has repeatedly denied.
In a fiery social media post, Trump declared that the United States would “immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” and warned that the Nigerian government must “move fast” to curb violence.
“The U.S. may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote.
The post, which drew immediate global attention, also included instructions to the U.S. Department of Defense. “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action,” he said. “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared to confirm Trump’s directive, posting “Yes sir” alongside a screenshot of the president’s message.
Hegseth later wrote: “The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
Trump’s comments come a day after he designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, citing “systematic and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
However, Nigerian officials have rejected the allegations. President Bola Tinubu, responding before Trump’s threat of military action, said the characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant “does not reflect our national reality.”
In a post on social media, Tinubu wrote: “The Nigerian government continues to make sincere efforts to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians. We are working with the United States and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths.”
Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, criticized the U.S. position as “a gross exaggeration of the Nigerian situation,” insisting that “Christians, Muslims, churches and mosques are attacked randomly.”
“What our country requires from America is military support to fight these violent extremists in some states of our country, not designation as a nation of particular concern,” Onanuga added.
While religiously motivated attacks have occurred in Nigeria, experts note that the violence in the country’s north and central regions is complex — fueled by disputes between farmers and herders, economic hardship, and long-standing ethnic tensions.
Both Christians and Muslims have been victims of extremist violence, with local reports indicating that most casualties in recent years have been Muslims living in northern Nigeria.
