Daijiworld Media Network – Washington
Washington, Nov 4: US President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Nigeria, accusing its government of allowing the killing of Christians by Islamist extremists.
In a post on social media, Trump said he had directed the US Defense Department to “prepare for possible action” if the Nigerian government fails to curb violence targeting Christians. “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists,” Trump wrote.
He warned that any US attack would be “fast, vicious, and sweet,” adding that Nigeria’s leadership “better move fast.”
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth endorsed Trump’s remarks on X, saying, “The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action.”
Responding to Trump’s statement, Nigerian presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala told Reuters that Nigeria would accept US assistance “as long as it recognises our territorial integrity.” He expressed hope that a meeting between the two leaders would yield “better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism.”
Trump’s warning followed his decision to reclassify Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” for what he described as “severe violations of religious freedom,” placing it alongside China, Cuba, and North Korea.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the designation, saying it “does not reflect our national reality.” “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” Tinubu said.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement asserting its commitment to combating violent extremism and promoting religious harmony. “Nigeria is a God-fearing country where we respect faith, tolerance, diversity, and inclusion,” the statement read.
Trump had earlier placed Nigeria on the same list during his first term, a move later reversed by President Joe Biden’s administration in 2021.