Former U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened possible military action against Nigeria, accusing the country’s government of allowing the killing of Christians.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump warned that the United States could intervene militarily if the Nigerian government fails to stop what he called “mass slaughter” of Christians by Islamist groups.
“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 wrote.
He added, “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.”
Trump’s comments came a day after he claimed that Christianity in Nigeria was facing an “existential threat,” and that the country was now a “Country of Particular Concern” under U.S. religious freedom laws.
He accused Nigeria’s government of ignoring killings allegedly targeting Christians, though he provided no evidence to support his claims.
Reacting to Trump’s remarks, President Bola Tinubu rejected the description of Nigeria as a nation hostile to religious freedom, insisting that the country remains committed to protecting the rights of citizens of all faiths.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it,” Tinubu said in a statement.
Nigeria, which is almost evenly divided between a Muslim-majority north and Christian-dominated south, has long grappled with violent conflicts involving extremist groups, criminal gangs, and communal clashes.
Experts say the violence affects both Christians and Muslims and is often driven by ethnic and economic tensions, not religion.
Trump’s latest comments have stirred global debate, with some analysts warning that such rhetoric could further strain relations between the two countries and inflame tensions within Nigeria’s fragile communities.
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