• Source:JND
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US President Donald Trump ignited global controversy on Saturday after threatening potential military action against Nigeria over what he described as the government’s failure to stop the persecution of Christians. In a fiery social-media post, Trump claimed he had ordered the Pentagon, which he referred to as the “Department of War”, to begin preparing contingency plans.

Trump warned that the United States would “immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” if the government in Abuja continued to allow “the killing of Christians.” He went further, pledging a swift and decisive military strike if conditions deteriorate.

“If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet,” Trump wrote, vowing to “wipe out the Islamic terrorists” responsible for alleged atrocities.

Defence Response And Escalating Rhetoric

Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump’s sentiment on X. “Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he posted, reinforcing the administration’s hardened stance.

The escalation came just one day after the US returned Nigeria to its “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) list, a designation reserved for nations accused of systematic religious-freedom violations. Other countries on the list include China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan.

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Nigeria Pushes Back

Hours before Trump’s threat, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected allegations of religious intolerance. In a statement, Tinubu argued that such characterizations ignore constitutional protections and government efforts to ensure equality.

“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” he said, insisting his administration safeguards freedom of religion for all citizens.

Nigeria has long been viewed as religiously diverse, roughly half its population identifies as Christian and half as Muslim. The nation has struggled for years with multiple security crises, including separatist unrest, rural banditry, and communal clashes. 

Accusations of Christian persecution in Nigeria are not new among conservative US politicians. Earlier this year, Congressman Chris Smith urged the State Department to impose the CPC designation, calling the situation an “existential threat.”

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Trump’s claims include assertions, made without evidence, that “thousands of Christians are being killed” by “Radical Islamists.” Violence in Nigeria’s northeast, driven by extremist groups such as Boko Haram, has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced over two million since 2009, according to UN estimates.

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