The United States military has drawn up contingency plans for potential strikes in Nigeria following a directive from President Donald Trump to prepare for possible intervention over alleged persecution of Christians.
According to The New York Times, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) submitted the plans to the Department of War in line with a directive from Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Military sources cited by the publication said three operational options were proposed — classified as heavy, medium, and light — each offering varying levels of engagement in Nigeria.
Under the heavy option, considered the most aggressive, an aircraft carrier strike group would be deployed to the Gulf of Guinea to launch fighter jets or long-range bombers at militant targets deep inside northern Nigeria.
The medium option recommends drone strikes using MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator drones to target militant camps, convoys, and vehicles, guided by U.S. intelligence for precision.
The light option focuses on joint operations with Nigerian forces, emphasizing intelligence sharing, logistics support, and coordination against Boko Haram and other insurgent groups involved in attacks, abductions, and bombings.
However, Pentagon officials privately admit that limited airstrikes or drone operations alone would not resolve Nigeria’s complex insurgency without a full-scale military campaign similar to those in Iraq or Afghanistan — an approach viewed as costly and politically unpopular in Washington.
President Trump had earlier accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of allowing what he described as the “mass slaughter of Christians.”
In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote:
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening there. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
He also redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and announced the suspension of arms sales and technical assistance to Abuja.
The move reportedly followed months of lobbying by right-wing American lawmakers who claimed that Nigeria’s government had failed to protect Christian communities.
But Nigerian officials dismissed the allegations as politically motivated.
Daniel Bwala, a spokesperson for President Tinubu, said on Russia National TV that Trump’s position was influenced by misinformation spread by anti-government elements.
“We do not need American boots on our soil,” Bwala said. “What we need is cooperation in intelligence and equipment. The government of President Tinubu is not persecuting Christians or any religious group.”
He urged Washington to respect Nigeria’s sovereignty, warning that any U.S. military incursion would constitute a grave violation of international law.
China has also backed Nigeria’s position, condemning Trump’s remarks as interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said in Beijing, “As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly opposes any country using religion or human rights as an excuse to threaten other nations with force.”
Despite Trump’s rhetoric, analysts and former U.S. military officers have warned that any strike in Nigeria would likely worsen instability in the region.
Retired U.S. Army General Paul Eaton told The New York Times that the idea was “a fiasco waiting to happen,” adding that “bombing northern Nigeria would be like pounding a pillow — it would cause chaos but solve nothing.”
Experts have also noted operational challenges in executing the plans. The U.S. currently lacks drone bases in West Africa after withdrawing from Agadez and Niamey in Niger Republic following the August coup in that country.
Deploying aircraft carriers to the Gulf of Guinea would also strain U.S. naval capacity, as most are already committed to missions in the Pacific, Middle East, and southern Caribbean.
Analysts further caution that violence in Nigeria’s north and middle belt is far more complex than the narrative of religious persecution suggests.
They note that much of the conflict stems from land disputes, banditry, and local power struggles, with jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP attacking both Muslims and Christians alike.
In 2017, more than 50 people were killed in a mosque bombing in Adamawa State, while a 2018 double suicide attack on another mosque claimed 86 lives — underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the violence.
