Trump hints at possible US air strikes and troop deployment in Nigeria over Christian killings

US President Donald Trump has hinted that both air strikes and ground operations could be part of a potential US military action in Nigeria. Speaking to reporters before boarding Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said he plans to “completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists killing Christians in Nigeria,” emphasizing that America would no longer “look the other way.”

Declaring Nigeria a “country of particular concern” over what he described as ongoing Christian persecution, Trump warned the Nigerian government to “move fast” or risk losing all forms of US aid and assistance. He added that any military response from Washington would be “fast, vicious and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs that attack our cherished Christians.”

When asked whether his plan included air strikes or boots on the ground, Trump replied, “Yes, there could be,” asserting that record numbers of Christians were being killed. “It’s also bad in other countries, you know that,” he said. “They are killing Christians in very large numbers. We are not going to allow that to happen.”

President Bola Tinubu has dismissed US claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria, stating that the country remains committed to religious freedom and constitutional guarantees for all faiths. “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said on November 1. “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.”

Tinubu described the portrayal of Nigeria as religiously intolerant as inaccurate, emphasizing the government’s continued efforts to protect freedom of belief. “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” he added.

Daniel Bwala, the president’s special adviser on policy communication, said over the weekend that a meeting between Trump and Tinubu will take place “in the coming days” to discuss the allegations.