United States President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to the Nigerian government this Saturday through his social network Truth Social, threatening possible "guns-a-blazing" military intervention if the authorities of the African country do not put an end to the massacre of Christians at the hands of Islamic extremists.
"If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the United States will halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria and could enter that country with full force to completely eliminate the Islamic terrorists who commit these atrocities," Trump wrote.
He also claimed to have instructed the Department of Defense to prepare for possible military action, warning that, if it occurs, "it will be swift, fierce, and decisive."
El presidente estadounidense lanzó la probabilidad de realizar una intervención militar en el país africano
The threat came a day after the State Department included Nigeria on its list of "Countries of Particular Concern," a category reserved for nations that do not guarantee religious freedom. The measure responds to the growing wave of violence in the African country.
According to the NGO Intersociety, more than 7,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria during the first 220 days of 2025, while since the beginning of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009, more than 125,000 Christians have died and about 19,000 churches have been destroyed.
In the face of these figures, Trump's response seeks to pressure the Nigerian authorities, whom he accuses of inefficiency and complicity in religious persecution. "The international community has been looking the other way for years while the Christian genocide in Africa continues," analysts close to the former president point out.
Los terroristas de Boko Haram asesinaron miles de cristianos en lo que va del año
During his term, Trump had already promoted measures in defense of persecuted religious minorities, and his current tone reinforces his image as a leader willing to act where other governments merely condemn.
The Nigerian government replied by defending its commitment to religious freedom. "Nigeria will continue to protect all its citizens, regardless of their religion," declared the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
However, human rights organizations report that attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) occur with total impunity, especially in the north of the country.
Meanwhile, in the United States, the "Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025" bill is advancing in Congress, promoted by Republican Senator Ted Cruz, which proposes sanctions against Nigerian officials involved in the persecution of Christians and against those who enforce sharia or blasphemy laws. The initiative aligns with the firm stance advocated by Trump.
El senador republicano Ted Cruz presentó un proyecto de ley que propone sanciones a funcionarios nigerianos
