In a dramatic escalation of pressure on Nigeria, U.S. Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, announced that his department is preparing for possible military operations if the Nigerian government fails to stop what he described as the “killing of innocent Christians” in the country.
Hegseth echoed earlier statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused the Nigerian government of allowing attacks on Christians and warned that the U.S. may intervene militarily.
“Yes sir. 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,” Hegseth wrote on the social-media platform X.
Trump’s own post declared, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. 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.
“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!”
In response to the U.S. rhetoric, the Nigerian government, led by Bola Tinubu, rejected the allegations that Christians are being systematically targeted and reiterated the country’s commitment to religious freedom for all citizens.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the claims did not reflect the actual situation on the ground and emphasised that violence in the country affects people of all faiths.
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