Nigeria rejects Trump's threats over alleged persecution of Christians, clarifies its position
Photo: Donald Trump, President of the United States (Getty Images)
Nigeria has ruled out the possibility of any unilateral US military action on its territory following threats by US President Donald Trump over what he called the persecution of Christians in the country, according to Associated Press.
Such a military threat from Donald Trump is based on misleading reports. It appears to be part of "Trump’s style of going forceful in order to force a sit-down and have a conversation," according to Daniel Bwala, a spokesman for Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.
Bwala was responding to Trump’s comment on Saturday that he has ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, over alleged Christian persecution in the country.
Trump's accusations
On November 1, Trump claimed that Nigeria’s government was failing to stop attacks on Christians in a nation of more than 220 million people, nearly evenly split between Christians and Muslims.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that the United States might cut aid to Nigeria and could even intervene militarily to destroy Islamic terrorists.
His post followed the US decision to include Nigeria on its list of "countries of particular concern" for religious freedom, after several American public figures, including Republican senator Ted Cruz, alleged "persecution" or even "genocide" of Christians, without presenting evidence.
Nigeria's response
Nigerian officials insist that the situation is being misrepresented and warn against any foreign interference in the country’s internal affairs.
According to presidential spokesperson Bwala, both Cruz and Trump relied on outdated reports from more than a decade ago, when the Islamist group Boko Haram launched an insurgency to impose its brutal version of Sharia law.
"When it comes to matters of military operation in Nigeria, this is a matter that two leaders have to agree on. It is not something unilaterally you can do especially since that country is a sovereign state and that country is not aiding and abating that (crime)," he said.
President Bola Tinubu also rejected Trump’s accusations, pledging cooperation with the US and international partners "to deepen cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths."
Local perspective
Joseph Hayab, former head of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna state, likewise denied claims of a state-sponsored persecution campaign. However, as a pastor in one of the conflict’s most affected regions, he urged the government to do more to secure rural communities affected by violence.
Despite official denials, Nigeria remains one of the world’s deadliest countries for Christians. According to European Parliament data, between 2019 and 2023, nearly 17,000 Christians were killed in targeted attacks, and in 2025 alone, more than 7,000 have lost their lives in the first seven months of the year.
