President Trump signaled he would be open to positioning U.S. troops in Nigeria to confront “Islamic Terrorists” engaged in the country.
“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,” the president wrote on Truth Social over the weekend. “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!”
War Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to Trump’s direction: “Yes sir.”
“The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately,” Hegseth wrote on X. “The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar denied the idea of a genocide occurring in the country. “For the avoidance of any doubt, and out of respect for all the victims and survivors around the world of this unique and appalling crime against humanity, let the record show that there is no genocide, now or ever, in Nigeria,” he told Newsweek.
Meanwhile, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu argued that the country is one 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 understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths,” he said.
The statements follow President Trump declaring on Friday that Nigeria will be designated as a “country of particular concern.” He wrote that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria, adding that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries.”
