Trump threatens Nigeria with military action
US President Donald Trump has continued with his false narrative of mass killing of Christians in Nigeria with a threat to invade the country.
“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 on his Truth Social platform.
The threat came one day after he made the false claim that Christianity is facing an “existential threat” in Nigeria and accused “radical Islamists” of being responsible for “mass slaughter.”
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” said Trump, warning the Nigerian government to “move fast.”
His remarks reportedly echo rhetoric from right-wing lawmakers who depict Nigeria’s violent conflicts as attacks by radical Islamists on Christians, a characterization experts, including officials of the Trump government said is misleading.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier reacted to Trump’s false claims, saying Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
In a statement on Saturday, Tinubu said “since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.
“Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.
“Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths.”
