U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Nigeria, threatening to halt all aid and consider military intervention if attacks on Christians in the country persist.
In a strongly worded post on social media, Trump accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christian communities from violent assaults, particularly in the country’s Middle Belt region.
“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 further stated that he had instructed the U.S. Department of War to prepare for possible action, adding that any military response would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
The statement follows the Trump administration’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act, citing what it described as severe violations of religious liberty.
Nigeria has faced years of insecurity, including attacks by Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents in the northeast, as well as deadly clashes between Fulani herdsmen and Christian farming communities in central states.
Reacting to the comments, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, dismissed the allegations of religious persecution.
“There is no genocide, now or ever, in Nigeria. These claims are exaggerated and politically motivated,” Tuggar told Newsweek.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu also responded, affirming Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom and tolerance.
“Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it. Our population is nearly evenly split between Christians and Muslims, and our constitution guarantees freedom of religion,” Tinubu said.
Trump’s remarks have drawn mixed reactions globally. While some U.S. lawmakers and public figures praised the president’s stance, others warned that such rhetoric could strain diplomatic relations between Washington and Abuja.
Ravenewsonline reports that Nigeria remains a key U.S. ally in counterterrorism efforts in West Africa, and any disruption in bilateral ties could have regional implications.
