The United States (US) has warned that it is “preparing for action” in Nigeria following reports of mounting attacks on Christian communities across the country.
Former US President Donald Trump, in a fiery Truth Social post, ordered the Department of War to “ready itself for possible action,” warning that America’s response would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
Trump declared that Washington would immediately suspend all aid to Nigeria and could deploy forces “guns-a-blazing” unless the Nigerian government acts to stop the killings.
“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,’” Trump wrote.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the directive on X (formerly Twitter), stating that the department was “preparing for action” to protect Christian civilians. “Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he said.
Trump also reinstated Nigeria’s designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, citing what he described as an “existential threat” to Christianity in the country.
“Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump said, urging Congress to investigate and act swiftly.
The move comes after deadly clashes in central Nigeria, where over 14 people were killed in recent attacks in Plateau State. AFP reports that such violence often stems from land-use conflicts between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farmers.
The Nigerian government, however, rejected claims of state-backed persecution, calling the US narrative misleading. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told CNN that both Christians and Muslims are victims of the violence.
“These criminals do not just target one religion. They target everyone,” he said, warning that foreign misinformation could inflame religious tensions in the country
