United States President Donald Trump has warned that he could unleash air strikes and ground troops on Nigeria to “completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists killing Christians.”
Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said America would no longer “look the other way” as Christians are being slaughtered in Nigeria, which he has labelled a “country of particular concern (CPC).”
When asked if his plan included boots on the ground or air strikes, Trump didn’t hesitate: “Yes, there could be.”
“They are killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria. It’s also bad in other countries, you know that. They are killing Christians in very large numbers. We are not going to allow that to happen,” he fumed.
Trump also warned the Nigerian government to “better move fast” or risk losing all U.S. aid and facing direct military action.
He vowed that if his patience ran out, he would order the U.S. “department of war” to strike, promising an operation that would be “fast, vicious and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs that attack our cherished Christians.”
But President Bola Tinubu has fired back, insisting that Nigeria remains a democracy rooted in freedom and tolerance — not persecution.
Tinubu said on November 1: “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
“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.”
Meanwhile, presidential aide Daniel Bwala has confirmed that Trump and Tinubu are expected to meet “in the coming days” to discuss the heated allegations — a showdown that could reshape U.S.–Nigeria relations.
