US President Donald Trump has ordered the military to prepare for action in Nigeria to address Islamist militant groups, citing the government’s failure to protect Christians. While Trump did not specify which killings he was referring to, there have been circulating claims of genocide against Nigeria’s Christians in some right-wing circles in the U.S. However, groups that monitor violence report that there is no evidence to suggest that Christians are being killed more than Muslims in Nigeria, which has a roughly equal population of both religions.
An advisor to Nigeria’s president stated in an interview with the BBC that any military action against jihadist groups should be a joint effort. Daniel Bwala acknowledged that Trump was trying to support Nigeria in dealing with these groups, but emphasised that Nigeria is a sovereign nation. He also pointed out that the insurgents are not exclusively targeting members of a specific religion, as they have harmed individuals from all faiths and even those with no religious affiliation.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has insisted there is religious tolerance in the country and said the security challenges were affecting people “across faiths and regions”. Trump wrote in a social media post on Saturday that he had instructed the US Department of War to prepare for “possible action”.
He warned that he might send the military into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” unless the Nigerian government intervened, and said that all aid to what he called “the now disgraced country” would be cut. Trump added: “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!”
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth replied to the post by writing: “Yes, sir.
“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.” Mr Bwala, who said he was a Christian pastor, told the BBC’s Newshour programme that Trump had a “unique way of communicating” and that Nigeria was not taking his words literally.
“We know the heart and intent of Trump is to help us fight insecurity,” he said, adding that he hoped Trump would meet Tinubu in the coming days to discuss the issue. Trump earlier announced that he had declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” because of the “existential threat” posed to its Christian population. He said “thousands” had been killed, without providing any evidence.
This is a designation used by the US State Department that provides for sanctions against countries “engaged in severe violations of religious freedom”. Following this announcement, Tinubu said his government was committed to working with the US and the international community to protect communities of all faiths.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” the Nigerian leader said in a statement.
Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wrought havoc in north-eastern Nigeria for more than a decade, killing thousands of people; however, most of these have been Muslims, according to Acled, a group which analyses political violence around the world.
In central Nigeria, there are also frequent clashes between mostly Muslim herders and farming groups, who are often Christian, over access to water and pasture. Deadly cycles of tit-for-tat attacks have also seen thousands killed, but atrocities have been committed on both sides and human rights groups say there is no evidence that Christians have been disproportionately targeted.
Trump has frequently expressed satisfaction over not having embroiled the US in a war during his tenure, and has cast himself as a peace-making president. But the Republican leader is facing a growing number of voices domestically, particularly from the political right, who have drawn attention to the situation in Nigeria.
Source: BBC
