US President Donald Trump has accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants and has ordered the Department of War to prepare for potential military action in the West African country. The president described the situation as a ‘mass slaughter’ of Christians and warned that the US may intervene. Nigeria, which has long struggled with sectarian violence from groups like Boko Haram, denied the allegations, calling them exaggerated and accusing the US of politicizing the issue.
Trump’s threat followed a claim on Friday of ‘mass slaughter’ of Christians in Nigeria and his designation of it as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ under the International Religious Freedom Act, which is applied to states accused of systematic violations of religious freedom. The president warned that the Nigerian government better move fast in confronting the insurgency, but provided no evidence of the alleged targeting of Christians. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth replied to Trump’s order on X, saying that his department ‘is preparing for action.’
Nigeria, a country split between a Muslim-majority north and a largely Christian south, has long been plagued by violence from groups such as Boko Haram, which is responsible for massacres, kidnappings, and bombings nationwide. The attacks, which have killed tens of thousands and displaced over two million since around 2009, target both Christians and Muslims. Though often seen as sectarian, analysts cite land disputes, resource competition, and ethnic tensions as key drivers of the violence.
In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump accused Abuja of failing to protect Christians and warned the US ‘may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists.’ He offered no evidence of the alleged targeting of Christians but warned that ‘the Nigerian government better move fast’ in confronting the insurgency. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth replied to Trump’s order on X, saying that his department ‘is preparing for action.’
Trump’s threat followed a claim on Friday of ‘mass slaughter’ of Christians in Nigeria and his designation of it as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ under the International Religious Freedom Act, which is applied to states accused of systematic violations of religious freedom. The president warned that the Nigerian government better move fast in confronting the insurgency, but provided no evidence of the alleged targeting of Christians. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth replied to Trump’s order on X, saying that his department ‘is preparing for action.’
In a post after Trump announced the designation but before floating the prospect of military action, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu rejected the accusations against Abuja and defended its efforts to protect religious freedom as ‘a core tenet’ of the nation. Tinubu’s press secretary, Bayo Onanuga, also called US claims of targeted attacks ‘a gross exaggeration,’ saying ‘Christians, Muslims, churches and mosques are attacked randomly’ and urging Washington to provide military support to fight extremists rather than label Nigeria a nation of particular concern.
Later on Saturday, Onanuga called Trump’s threats an ‘orchestrated game’ and said Abuja was ‘well ahead’ of it, noting that Tinubu had met new army chiefs earlier this week, ordering them to immediately ‘smash’ Islamist insurgents with ‘patriotic zeal.’