Trump Warns Nigeria to Stop Killings or Face Possible U.S. Military Action
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has issued a stern warning to the Nigerian government, threatening possible military intervention if the alleged persecution and killing of Christians in Nigeria continue.
Trump made the declaration in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, directing the U.S. Department of War to prepare for “possible action” should the situation persist. He also vowed to suspend all aid and assistance to Nigeria if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration fails to end what he described as “genocide against Christians.”
In his words:
“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. 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.”
As of press time, the Federal Government of Nigeria had not officially responded to Trump’s threat.
Tinubu Rejects U.S. Designation
Trump’s statement came barely 24 hours after he designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), alleging that Christians in the country face an existential threat from radical Islamic extremists.
He claimed that “thousands of Christians” have been killed, citing figures of 3,100 Christian deaths in Nigeria out of 4,476 worldwide.
Responding via his official X (Twitter) handle on Saturday, President Bola Tinubu dismissed the claim, describing it as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s religious and cultural realities.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” the President said.
Tinubu reaffirmed that religious freedom and tolerance remain core values of the Nigerian state, stressing that the government protects the rights of all citizens regardless of faith.
FG Engages U.S. Diplomatically
The Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed that Nigeria had opened diplomatic discussions with the U.S. over the development.
“We will continue to engage the United States Government through our missions in Washington DC, Atlanta, and New York on this matter. Discussions will also continue with the American Embassy in Abuja,” he said.
Sources within the National Assembly also revealed that a delegation of Nigerian lawmakers is preparing to travel to Washington to meet with U.S. congressmen concerning Trump’s declaration.
“The President’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern does not make it law. It still requires congressional approval. Our planned visit to engage lawmakers in the U.S. will now be expedited,” a ranking member of the House of Representatives told reporters.
Presidency, Onanuga Fault Genocide Claims
Reacting to statements by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who alleged that Fulani militias and radical Islamists were slaughtering Christians in Nigeria, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, dismissed the claim as a “gross exaggeration.”
“Dear Secretary Rubio, there is no ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians in Nigeria. What we do have are sporadic attacks on villages by bandits and terrorists, and these attacks are not religiously motivated. Christians, Muslims, churches, and mosques are all attacked randomly,” Onanuga clarified.
He added that what Nigeria truly needs from the U.S. is military assistance to combat violent extremists, not an international designation that could strain diplomatic relations.
The controversy has since stirred global debate, with analysts warning that Trump’s aggressive rhetoric could escalate tensions between Washington and Abuja if not carefully managed through diplomatic channels.
