By Our Reporter
The United States President, Donald Trump, has issued a stern warning, threatening potential military intervention in Nigeria to stop what he described as genocide against Christians in the country.
In a Saturday post on his Truth Social platform, President Trump directed the US Department of War to prepare for “possible action” should the killings persist. He also warned of stopping all aid to Nigeria if President Bola Tinubu’s administration failed to halt the alleged persecution.
“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 said. He added, “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians.”
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This threat follows Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern on Friday, citing an “existential threat” to Christians in the country. He noted, “Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern.’ But that is the least of it.”
President Bola Tinubu responded on Saturday via his official X account, dismissing the designation as a misrepresentation. He affirmed Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom: “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality.” Tinubu stressed that tolerance and freedom of religion remain “core tenets” of Nigeria’s identity and reiterated the government’s resolve to protect all citizens regardless of faith.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed ongoing diplomatic discussions, stating, “We will continue to engage the United States Government through our missions in Washington DC, Atlanta, and New York on this matter. Discussions will also continue with the American Embassy in Abuja.”
As of now, the Nigerian Federal Government has not issued an official response to the military threat.
