On 1st November, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he had instructed the Pentagon to start planning a possible military intervention in Nigeria since he had increased his criticism that the government was not doing enough to curb persecution of Christians in the West African nation.
“If the Nigerian Government goes ahead and permits the slaughter of the Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately cut off all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and would, perhaps, go into that now infamous nation, gun-a-blazing, into doing so to eliminate the Islamic Terrorist completely, who is perpetrating such atrocious acts”, Trump wrote on social media. “I hereby direct our Department of War to be ready to take possible action. When we attack, we will attack fast, viciously, and sweetly like the terrorist thugs have been attacking our CHERISHED Christians!”
The threat of military intervention followed the previous move by the President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who on Saturday also pressed back against Trump, declaring a day before that he was declaring the West African nation a country of particular concern over its purported failure to curb the persecution of Christians.
On Saturday, Tinubu posted a social media statement in which he explained that the portrayal of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant nation is not the truth of the situation in the country.
“Our own collective identity has always held the principle of religious freedom and tolerance, and it always will,” Tinubu said. “Nigeria does not favor religious persecution, nor does it promote the same. Nigeria is one such nation where the constitution of this country guarantees the security of the citizens of all religions.”
Trump on Friday stated, “Christianity is an existential threat in Nigeria, and it is the radical Islamists who are killing people in massacres.”
The remark by Trump followed weeks after they were urged by U.S Sen. Ted Cruz to label the most populous country in Africa as a violator of religious freedom that committed mass murder under the name of Christianity.
With a population of 220 million people, Nigeria has almost a balanced population of Christians and Muslims. The country has been experiencing insecurity on many fronts, such as the Boko Haram extremist group, which has tried to institute its radical version of Islamic law, and also the Muslims whom they perceive as not being Muslim enough.
Nigeria has varying motives for the attack. There are the religiously-based ones that are directed against Christians and Muslims alike, fights between the farmers and sheep herders over the scarce resource, communal rivalries, secessions, and ethnic tribal fighting.
Although one of the targets is Christians, analysts indicate that most of the people attacked by the armed groups are Muslims in the Muslim-majority north of Nigeria, where most attacks take place.
Kimiebi Ebienfa, one of the spokespersons of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, repeated their promise of protecting citizens of all religions.
On Saturday, Ebienfa said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria would continue to protect all citizens regardless of their race, creed, or religion. Nigeria, like America, has no choice but to embrace the diversity that is our most important strength.”
The first time Nigeria was added to the country of particular concern list by the U.S. was in 2020 due to what was alleged by the State Department as systemic violation of religious freedom. It was later renamed in 2023 as the designation that did not target attacks on Christians, but, as seen by observers, was a move to encourage the countries to improve their relations before a visit to the country by then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
