Tension is rising as the United States military has drafted comprehensive plans for possible air and ground strikes on Nigeria, following President Donald Trump’s explosive threat to go “guns-a-blazing” to protect Christians in the country.
Trump recently redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” accusing the government of ignoring what he described as a “Christian genocide.”
He reportedly ordered the Pentagon to prepare intervention strategies aimed at targeting Islamic militant groups operating in northern Nigeria.
According to The New York Times, senior defence officials confirmed that the Pentagon and the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) have already developed several options ranging from limited drone strikes to full-scale military deployment.
But insiders are warning that any such operation could backfire. “It would be a fiasco,” said Paul Eaton, a retired army veteran of the war in Iraq.
Eaton compared any US military action in Nigeria to “pounding a pillow,” suggesting that airstrikes would have little lasting effect on insurgent networks that have plagued the country for nearly two decades.
Officials say the proposed plans include targeted drone operations by the US Air Force using MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator drones to hit insurgent compounds and convoys. There’s also talk of joint ground raids with Nigerian troops to flush out militants hiding in rural areas.
AFRICOM sources revealed that three escalating levels of response were outlined; light, medium, and heavy.
The light option involves “partner-enabled operations,” where US forces assist Nigeria in identifying and neutralising Boko Haram and other jihadist factions.
The medium option includes drone and precision airstrikes on camps, bases, and vehicles used by the militants.
The heavy option, seen as the most aggressive, would see the deployment of a US aircraft carrier group in the Gulf of Guinea, launching fighter jets and long-range bombers to hit deep inside Nigerian territory.
Although no final decision has been made, military experts warn that any major intervention could drag the United States into another drawn-out conflict similar to Iraq or Afghanistan.
