Trump Threatens “quick” Attack On Nigeria If They Do Not Rein In Terrorists

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US troops training successful Nigeria. Credit: Staff Sgt. Jeremiah Runser wikimedia.org

President Donald Trump has issued harsh warnings of imminent subject action against Nigeria, accusing nan African federation of failing to curb “Islamic terrorist” attacks connected Christians.

The rhetoric, delivered via his ain societal network, Truth Social, has provoked fears of intervention, sanctions, and severed aid, while Nigerian officials decry it arsenic politically motivated pinch their vocal support for Palestine successful nan ongoing Gaza conflict.

Trump’s outburst comes arsenic belief unit continues to plague Nigeria’s bluish and Middle Belt regions, wherever non-state actors for illustration Boko Haram and Fulani herders person targeted communities, sidesplitting hundreds. The US leader designated Nigeria a “country of peculiar concern” for religious state violations, citing betwixt 3,000 and 7,000 Christian deaths, figures that stay unverified but lucifer reports from assistance groups connected nan ground.

Trump’s fiery ultimatum connected Nigeria belief violence

Trump’s message was unsparing: “I’ve ordered our Department of War to hole for imaginable intervention. If we strike, it will beryllium quick, violent, and sweet, conscionable for illustration nan thugs’ attacks connected our beloved Christians. Warning: Nigerian government, move fast!” He vowed to halt each US assistance instantly if persecution persists, framing it arsenic an “existential threat” to Christianity successful Africa’s astir populous nation.

This will beryllium nan 2nd clip nether Trump’s watch that Nigeria faces specified scrutiny; it was antecedently listed from 2020 to 2021. The nickname could provoke recreation bans connected officials, reduced subject support, and economical penalties, straining bilateral ties already tested by Nigeria’s counterterrorism efforts, which Trump erstwhile praised for yielding “excellent results” done arms sales.

Nigeria strengthens information measures against US pressure

President Bola Tinubu’s management was speedy to counter, rejecting nan explanation arsenic unreflective of Nigeria’s law safeguards for belief liberty. In a preemptive move, Tinubu met pinch subject chiefs connected Thursday, demanding an extremity to excuses and contiguous results successful curbing threats.

Spokesman Bayo Onanuga posted, X: “President Tinubu anticipated nan orchestrated US play by instructing our forces: ‘Stay 1 measurement up of those threatening our peace.'”

Yet, crushed realities overgarment a nuanced picture. While Christian communities successful nan Middle Belt look devastating raids, specified arsenic nan June 2025 Benue onslaught sidesplitting complete 59, experts explain astir victims are Muslims successful nan Muslim-majority north. The US Commission connected International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reports ongoing failures by Nigerian forces to forestall assaults by insurgents for illustration ISWAP, recommending CPC position for “systematic, egregious violations”. Human Rights Watch affirms this, documenting thousands of conflict deaths intertwined pinch ethnicity, onshore disputes, and banditry, not solely religion.

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