The United States (US) military has drawn up contingency plans for possible intervention in Nigeria after former President Donald Trump reportedly ordered preparations for military action to “protect Christians” from Islamic militant attacks.
Defence and security officials confirmed that the Pentagon’s options remain limited and unlikely to resolve the deep-rooted insurgency that has ravaged northern Nigeria for over a decade, claiming thousands of Christian and Muslim lives, The New York Times reports.
Sources said the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany, has proposed three military options — light, medium, and heavy — for review by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The light option involves providing intelligence, logistics, and limited joint raids with Nigerian forces. The medium option proposes drone strikes on militant camps and vehicles in the north, while the heavy option would see an aircraft carrier deployed to the Gulf of Guinea for deep airstrikes — a scenario officials describe as “highly improbable.”
A defence official told reporters that anything short of a full-scale Iraq- or Afghanistan-style operation would have little impact. “The American military cannot do much to quell the violence unless it is willing to start an Iraq- or Afghanistan-style campaign,” the source said. “No one is seriously considering that.”
Maj. Gen. Paul D. Eaton, a retired US Army officer who led training missions in Iraq, cautioned that intervention could prove disastrous. “It would be a fiasco,” he warned. “Airstrikes might create shock and awe, but not much more. It’s like pounding a pillow.”
The draft plans reportedly followed Trump’s weekend social media post ordering the “Department of War” to prepare for action. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth swiftly replied, “Yes, Sir,” and instructed AFRICOM to submit operational options.
However, officials acknowledged that Nigeria’s crisis extends beyond religion. “This is not a simple fight between Christians and Muslims,” one national security official said. “It’s a complex mix of insurgency, poverty, and governance issues.”
Complicating matters further, the US recently withdrew from drone bases in Niger, now controlled by Russian forces, forcing reliance on more distant bases in Europe or Djibouti.
Analysts also note that deploying an aircraft carrier to West Africa would strain America’s already stretched naval assets amid commitments in the Pacific and Middle East.
Responding to the reports, Nigeria’s government said it welcomes US support in counterterrorism but insists that “any assistance must respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Despite Trump’s rhetoric, senior US defence officials remain doubtful of any major operation. “We’ve seen this movie before,” one Pentagon insider said. “And it doesn’t end well.”
