US President Donald Trump has ordered the military to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians.
An advisor to Nigeria’s president told the BBC that any military action against the jihadist groups should be carried out together.
Daniel Bwala said Nigeria would welcome US help in tackling the Islamist insurgents but noted that it was a “sovereign” country.
Trump added: “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!”
Trump earlier announced that he had declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” because of the “existential threat” posed to its Christian population.
U.S. President Donald Trump has accused the government of failing to protect Christians and ordered the military to get ready to strike Islamist militant groups in Nigeria.
In recent weeks and months, there have been rumors of a genocide against Nigerian Christians in some right-wing US circles, though Trump did not specify which killings he was referring to.
Nigeria is about equally split between Muslims and Christians, and groups that track violence say there is no evidence that Christians are being killed at a higher rate than Muslims.
The BBC was informed by a Nigerian president’s advisor that any military action against the jihadist groups should be coordinated.
Daniel Bwala said Nigeria would welcome US help in tackling the Islamist insurgents but noted that it was a “sovereign” country.
The jihadists, he added, had killed people of all faiths or none at all, and they were not specifically targeting followers of any one religion.
President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has maintained that religious tolerance exists in the nation and claimed that people “across faiths and regions” are impacted by the security issues.
Trump sent the US Department of War instructions to get ready for “possible action” in a social media post on Saturday.
He said that if the Nigerian government did not step in, he might send the military into the country “guns-a-blazing” and that all aid to “the now disgraced country” would be stopped.
“If we attack, it will be swift, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” Trump went on to say.
In response to the post, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote: “Yes, sir.
“The War Department is getting ready to act. Either the Nigerian government defends Christians, or we will eliminate the Islamic terrorists responsible for these heinous crimes. “,”.
Alarm has been raised throughout Nigeria by Trump’s threat. The government is being urged by many on social media to intensify its efforts against Islamist organizations in order to prevent the deployment of foreign troops into the nation.
According to Mr. Bwala, who claimed to be a Christian pastor, Trump has a “unique way of communicating,” and Nigeria was not taking his statements at face value.
He added, “We know the heart and intent of Trump is to help us fight insecurity,” and expressed his hope that Trump and Tinubu would meet in the coming days to talk about the matter.
Trump had previously declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” due to the “existential threat” to its Christian citizens. Without offering any supporting documentation, he claimed that “thousands” had been killed.
Under this designation, nations “engaged in severe violations of religious freedom” are subject to sanctions from the US State Department.
In the wake of this declaration, Tinubu declared that his administration was dedicated to collaborating with the United States and the global community to safeguard communities of all faiths.
The Nigerian leader claimed in a statement that “the portrayal of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality.”.
According to Acled, a group that studies political violence worldwide, jihadist organizations like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have wreaked havoc in northeastern Nigeria for over ten years, killing thousands of people, the majority of whom were Muslims.
Access to pasture and water is another common source of conflict in central Nigeria between farming groups, who are frequently Christian, and herders, who are primarily Muslim.
Thousands have also been killed in deadly cycles of tit-for-tat attacks, but both sides have committed atrocities, and human rights organizations claim there is no proof that Christians have been disproportionately targeted.
Trump has portrayed himself as a peacemaker and has often voiced his satisfaction at not having dragged the US into a conflict while in office.
However, the Republican leader is up against an increasing number of domestic voices that have brought attention to the situation in Nigeria, especially from the political right.
Chris Ewokor provided more reporting from Abuja.
