U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians.
Trump did not specify which killings he was referring to, but claims of genocide against Nigeria's Christians have been circulating in certain right-wing U.S. circles in recent weeks. Monitoring groups have reported that there is no evidence suggesting that Christians are being killed more than Muslims in Nigeria, which has a roughly even religious population.
An advisor to Nigeria's president stated that any military action against jihadist groups should be a collaborative effort. Daniel Bwala expressed that Nigeria would welcome U.S. assistance in combating Islamist insurgents but emphasized the country's sovereignty. He noted that jihadists were not targeting a specific religion and had claimed lives across all faiths.
Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu has maintained that there is religious tolerance in the country and that security challenges are affecting all people, regardless of their beliefs. In a social media statement, Trump indicated he had instructed the U.S. Department of War to prepare for 'possible action' and warned that he might send the military into Nigeria 'guns-a-blazing' if the Nigerian government does not intervene.
Trump's comments have prompted widespread alarm in Nigeria, with many citizens urging their government to strengthen efforts against Islamist groups to prevent the potential of foreign troop deployment.
Amidst rising tensions, Bwala, who identifies as a Christian pastor, commented that Trump's communication style is unique and stated that Nigeria does not take his words literally. He expressed hope for a meeting between Trump and Tinubu in the near future.
Trump previously labeled Nigeria a 'Country of Particular Concern' due to the perceived existential threat against its Christian population and announced intentions for sanctions against countries involved in severe violations of religious freedom.
Bwala affirmed Nigeria's commitment to collaborating with the U.S. and international bodies to safeguard communities across different faiths, asserting that claims of the country's religious intolerance misrepresent its reality.
Militant groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province have plagued northeastern Nigeria for over a decade, affecting predominantly Muslim communities according to data analysis by Acled, a group tracking political violence globally. Clashes between Muslim herders and Christian farmers in central Nigeria have also perpetuated cycles of violence, with human rights organizations asserting that there is no credible evidence of a disproportionate targeting of Christians.
