U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened military intervention in Nigeria, citing the killing of Christians, while the government in Abuja has said it would accept U.S. help only if its territorial integrity is respected.
Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he was considering deploying troops or launching air strikes to halt what he described as “record numbers” of Christians being killed in Nigeria. “Could be. I mean, other things. I envisage a lot of things. They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria … They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen,” he said.
The president’s remarks came after his administration re-listed Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for alleged violations of religious freedoms, alongside China, Russia, and Pakistan. Trump warned that if the Nigerian government failed to act, Washington might move swiftly.
Responding to Trump’s comments, Daniel Bwala, adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, told Reuters that Nigeria would “welcome U.S. assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity.” Bwala sought to ease tensions, saying, “We don’t take it literally, because we know Donald Trump thinks well of Nigeria. I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism.”
He also rejected accusations of religious persecution, insisting: “Nigeria does not discriminate against any tribe or religion in the fight against insecurity. There is no Christian genocide.”
Nigeria, home to over 200 million people, has long been divided along religious and ethnic lines — the Muslim-majority north and the largely Christian south. Islamist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have waged a brutal insurgency for more than 15 years, killing thousands and displacing millions.
However, analysts say the violence is not primarily driven by religion. “Insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa often present their campaigns as anti-Christian, but in practice their violence is indiscriminate and devastates entire communities,” said Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).
According to ACLED data, out of 1,923 attacks on civilians this year, only 50 targeted Christians specifically for their faith. Serwat said claims in some U.S. right-wing circles that up to 100,000 Christians had been killed since 2009 were unsupported by evidence.
President Tinubu, who is Muslim and married to a Christian pastor, has rejected accusations of religious intolerance. He recently appointed a Christian as Nigeria’s new defence chief as part of efforts to maintain balance in key government and military roles.
“Nigeria values religious diversity and equality,” a government statement said, noting that both Christian and Muslim leaders are represented across federal institutions.
In Abuja, however, some Christians expressed support for possible U.S. intervention. “If Donald Trump said they want to come in, they should come in and there is nothing wrong with that,” said Juliet Sur, a local businesswoman attending Sunday Mass.
Security experts cautioned that any U.S. strikes would face major logistical hurdles. With militant groups operating across vast terrain and shifting between Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon, effective targeting would require close coordination with Nigerian forces.
The U.S. withdrew its troops from neighbouring Niger last year, limiting its regional footprint. Analysts said unilateral U.S. air operations would be difficult without consent from Abuja — something Tinubu’s government insists is non-negotiable.
(With inputs from agencies)
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