U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare for potential military action in Nigeria, accusing the West African nation of allowing violence against Christians — a charge Nigeria has consistently denied.
In a post on social media on Saturday, Trump condemned what he described as the “mass slaughter” of Christians in Nigeria, announcing that the United States would “immediately stop all aid and assistance” to the country unless swift action was taken.
“The U.S. may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote. He added that he had instructed the “Department of War” to prepare for possible intervention, warning that any strike would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
The remarks followed Trump’s earlier statement on Friday, in which he accused Nigeria of violating religious freedom and labeled it a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act. The designation implies that his administration believes Nigeria has engaged in or tolerated “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
Responding to the accusations, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dismissed Trump’s claims, stating that the characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant “does not reflect our national reality.”
Tinubu emphasized that his government is committed to protecting freedom of religion and belief for all Nigerians, adding that Nigeria continues to work closely with the United States and the international community to strengthen cooperation in safeguarding communities of all faiths.
