United States President Donald Trump has warned that Nigeria could face further American military strikes if the killing of Christians persists, despite repeated denials by the Nigerian government that any group is being systematically targeted.
Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, while responding to questions about a US military strike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day.
According to Tribune Online, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the operation targeted Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria and was executed in collaboration with Nigerian authorities. At the time, Nigeria described the action as a “joint operation” against “terrorists” and stressed that it “had nothing to do with a particular religion.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, also confirmed that the airstrikes were conducted with Nigeria’s full cooperation, approval and intelligence support, insisting the operation neither violated Nigeria’s sovereignty nor targeted any religious group.
However, speaking to The New York Times, Trump suggested the military action may not be a one-off.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike … But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
When asked about claims by his Africa adviser that Islamic State and Boko Haram fighters were killing more Muslims than Christians, Trump responded, “I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians.”
Meanwhile, US lawmaker Riley Moore revealed that the American military fired 12 Tomahawk missiles at ISIS fighters in Nigeria, describing the operation as just the beginning of a wider military campaign. He added that more actions would follow in collaboration with Nigerian authorities.
Trump has repeatedly raised the issue in recent months. In late October, he warned that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria and threatened military intervention over what he described as the government’s failure to halt attacks on Christian communities.
The Nigerian government has consistently rejected those claims, maintaining that insecurity in the country affects both Christians and Muslims and is not driven by religious persecution.
Following high-level engagements between both countries, including a Nigerian delegation led by National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Tribune Online reports that the US War Secretary, Pete Hegseth, announced that the U.S. military “is working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists.”
Credit: (Reuters)
