US President Donald Trump has threatened military action in Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians from persecution. In a social media post on Saturday, Trump said he had instructed the newly named Department of War to 'prepare for possible action' in the West African country.
Trump wrote that if the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the US would stop all aid and assistance. He added that the US 'may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.'
The threat came after Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu pushed back against Trump's designation of Nigeria as 'a country of particular concern' for allegedly failing to curb the persecution of Christians. The US president had announced the designation the day before.
Trump's remarks mark a significant escalation in his foreign policy rhetoric, which has often emphasised an 'America First' approach. The warning of possible military intervention in Nigeria raises questions about the administration's strategy in Africa.
