U.S. President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he has instructed the Department of Defense to prepare for possible military intervention in Nigeria.
The move follows his repeated accusations that the Nigerian government has failed to curb violence against Christians, a claim Nigerian officials have consistently denied.
In a fiery social media post, Trump condemned what he described as the “mass slaughter” of Christians in Nigeria, warning that the United States would “immediately stop all aid and assistance” to the country unless swift action is taken.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians,” Trump wrote, “the U.S.A. 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! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth echoed the president’s sentiments, posting on social media, “Yes, sir,” alongside a screenshot of Trump’s statement.
He added, “The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria, and anywhere, must end immediately. 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.”
Trump’s remarks come a day after he designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, citing “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.” He claimed that “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria.”
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 230 million citizens, has long grappled with violence stemming from a complex mix of religious extremism, ethnic tensions, and resource-based conflicts. Both Christians and Muslims, particularly in the northern regions, have suffered significantly from extremist violence.
Responding to the designation, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu stated, “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.”
He emphasized ongoing collaboration with the U.S. and international partners to protect religious communities.
Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu’s press secretary, criticized the U.S. stance, calling it “a gross exaggeration of the Nigerian situation.” He noted, “Christians, Muslims, churches and mosques are attacked randomly,” and urged the U.S. to provide military support to combat violent extremists rather than issue condemnations.
As of Sunday morning, the Nigerian government has not officially responded to Trump’s threat of military action.
Prior to Tinubu’s statement, the Federal Government had said that the United States remains one of Nigeria’s closest allies despite President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged killings of Christians.
A statement signed by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noted that the Federal Government has taken due cognizance of the recent remarks by the United States on religious freedom in Nigeria, emphasizing that the relevant authorities remain committed to tackling violent extremism across the country.