8 hours ago
Last Updated:November 03, 2025, 07:22 IST
US President Trump warned of possible US military action in Nigeria over Christian killings, while Nigeria insists on sovereignty and denies claims of Christian genocide.
US President Trump warned of possible US military action in Nigeria over Christian killings, while Nigeria insists on sovereignty and denies claims of Christian genocide.(Image: X/@RapidResponse47)
US President Trump has warned that the United States could deploy troops or launch air strikes in Nigeria in response to what he described as the widespread killing of Christians in the country.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned to Washington after a weekend in Florida, Trump said that he had instructed the Pentagon (which he referred to as the “Department of War") to prepare for possible military action. When asked whether this meant ground troops or air strikes, he replied: “Could be. I mean, other things. I envisage a lot of things. They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria… They are killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We are not going to allow that to happen."
On an earlier post on his social-media platform, Truth Social, Trump wrote that if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians, the US will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and 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." He added, “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!"
The announcement followed the reclassification of Nigeria by the US as a “Country of Particular Concern" for religious freedom violations a list that includes China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan.
In Abuja, the Nigerian government responded that it would welcome US help in the fight against Islamist insurgents, but only if its sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected. “We welcome US assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity," Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, told Reuters.
According to Al Jazeera, Nigerian officials also challenged the notion that Christians alone are being targeted, stating that the violence affects Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers alike, and rejecting the narrative of “Christian genocide." “No, it is not true. There is no Christian genocide in Nigeria," said the foreign ministry spokesperson.
Security analysts say the violence in Nigeria is complex: many attacks are driven by armed extremist groups (such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province), clashes between farmers and herders, and general banditry — rather than a simple religious-targeting strategy. According to data, only a small number of attacks are clearly motivated by religion.
-With inupts from Reuters and agencies
Location :
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:
November 03, 2025, 07:22 IST
News world 'Won't Allow..': Trump Again Warns Of Military Action In Nigeria Over Alleged Christian Killings
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