By Joke Kujenya
UNITED STATES President Donald Trump announced he has directed the United States Department of War to prepare for what he described as “possible action” to eliminate Islamic terrorists in Nigeria, warning that his administration could end aid to the country if the killings of Christians persist.
The directive, shared through a post on his Truth Social account on Saturday, came with a sharp warning to the Nigerian government to “act fast” to end what he called the “killing of Christians.”
Trump said Washington would no longer tolerate what he termed “horrible atrocities” against Christians in Nigeria.
“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 stated.
“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!”
The announcement followed Trump’s decision a day earlier to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” in response to allegations of ongoing persecution and large-scale killings of Christians.
He accused radical Islamist groups of being responsible for what he called a “mass slaughter” of Christian communities.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” the president declared. “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”
He added that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening,” instructing Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole to begin formal investigations into the situation in Nigeria.
Trump’s remarks marked a return to hardline rhetoric reminiscent of his earlier foreign policy approach during his first term in office, where he had repeatedly vowed to take strong action against governments accused of enabling religious persecution.
The new warning, however, signals a significant escalation in Washington’s posture toward Africa’s most populous nation, suggesting possible military intervention if the situation is deemed unaddressed.
From Washington’s perspective, the move appears to highlight concerns raised by human rights advocates over attacks on rural Christian communities across parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt and North-West regions.
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However, Nigerian authorities have consistently stated that the violence is driven largely by banditry, communal conflicts, and terrorism unrelated to religion.
Reacting to the United States president’s statements, President Bola Tinubu issued a strong rejection of Trump’s assertions and the redesignation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
He maintained that Nigeria remains a democracy governed by the rule of law, with constitutional guarantees safeguarding freedom of religion and belief.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it recognise government efforts to safeguard freedom of religion and belief,” President Tinubu said in a statement he personally signed on Saturday.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” he added.
Tinubu said his administration had sustained active engagement with religious leaders across the country since 2023 and had continued to implement security strategies designed to protect all citizens, regardless of faith or region.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders and continues to address security challenges affecting citizens across faiths,” the president said.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.”
He further emphasised that his government would remain committed to cooperation with the United States and the international community on issues related to the protection of religious communities.
“Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.
“Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen cooperation on protecting communities of all faiths,” Tinubu stated.
The Nigerian government’s response underscores its position that religious tolerance forms an essential part of the nation’s social and political structure.
Officials have repeatedly said that the administration’s counterterrorism efforts target all violent actors, regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation.
Observers note that Trump’s latest comments could strain diplomatic relations between Abuja and Washington, particularly as Nigeria remains one of the United States’ key security and economic partners in Africa.
The two countries have collaborated on counterterrorism initiatives, intelligence sharing, and economic development programmes aimed at stabilising regions affected by insurgency.
The renewed controversy over religious freedom comes amid wider concerns over global religious persecution, which the U.S. State Department tracks annually under the International Religious Freedom Act.
Nigeria was first designated a “Country of Particular Concern” under Trump’s earlier administration in 2020 but was later removed from the list by the Biden administration in 2021.
The recent redesignation reinstates Nigeria to that category, indicating renewed pressure from Washington for the country to demonstrate stronger safeguards for minority religious communities.
Diplomatic analysts believe that the tone of Trump’s latest remarks could reshape the U.S.-Nigeria engagement landscape, depending on the response of both governments in the coming days.
However, no immediate statement was released by the U.S. Department of War regarding preparations mentioned by the president.
For now, Nigeria’s presidency has reiterated its stance that it will continue to work with international allies, including the United States, to promote peace, tolerance, and national security while rejecting any narratives that misrepresent the nation’s religious harmony.
Tinubu concluded that his government “remains dedicated to the unity and stability of Nigeria,” adding that “religious freedom is not under threat in any part of the country.”
May the will of God be done on this matter.
I agree with you my darling. We keep watching the developments.