Nigeria entered a new wave of political anxiety after US President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to plan potential military action. He claimed Nigeria’s government had failed to protect Christians from persecution. Trump warned that if the killings continued, the United States would “cut off all aid” and could “go in guns blazing” to eliminate Islamist militants. His online post on Saturday triggered global attention and immediate outrage in Nigeria.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu responded Sunday, saying his administration would meet Trump to discuss security cooperation but insisted any partnership must respect Nigeria’s sovereignty. Tinubu also rejected claims that Nigeria is religiously intolerant, calling such descriptions inaccurate and unfair. His spokesperson, Daniel Bwala, later described Trump’s threats as a possible negotiating tactic, stressing that both nations already cooperate through intelligence sharing and arms procurement.
Longstanding Violence Complicates the Debate
Amnesty International reported in May that jihadist attacks killed over 10,000 people in Nigeria’s central and northern regions since Tinubu took office. Nigeria’s population—roughly 220 million people divided almost equally between Christians and Muslims—faces violence from multiple extremist factions, including Boko Haram and Fulani militants.
While Washington views the situation as Christian genocide, many Nigerians argue that the conflict runs deeper, with Muslims also among the majority of victims. Some Evangelical leaders disagree, insisting that Christians bear the heaviest toll. Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo accused the government of minimizing the persecution, calling it “a massacre being denied.” Advocacy groups like Open Doors and International Christian Concern recorded more than 7,000 Christian deaths in 2025, describing them as targeted killings.
Tinubu’s old 2014 remarks, in which he criticized former President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to protect Christian worshippers, resurfaced online amid growing debate over Trump’s threat.
Strategic Interests Behind US Rhetoric
Trump’s warning followed a call by US Senator Ted Cruz for Congress to label Nigeria a violator of religious freedom. The idea of US intervention split public opinion. Broadcaster Cyril Abaku supported foreign military help, saying terrorism has become “a global issue” and that Nigeria should “welcome international cooperation.”
However, many Nigerians suspect Trump’s motives extend beyond humanitarian concern. Analysts point to Nigeria’s growing role in the rare earth market as a possible factor. The insurgent-plagued northeast holds valuable deposits of lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, and neodymium—minerals vital for defense technology, renewable energy, and electric vehicles.
Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore rejected the idea of foreign intervention entirely. “Nigeria doesn’t need a foreign saviour,” he said. “We need accountable leadership that protects every citizen and ends the corruption and violence destroying this nation.”
The United States first labeled Nigeria a “country of particular concern” in 2020 for repeated violations of religious freedom, though it did not specifically name Christian persecution in that classification.
