By: Isaac Kwabena Boadu Date: 3rd November, 2025
US President Donald Trump has sparked controversy by threatening military action against Nigeria if the West African nation fails to crack down on the killing of Christians. Trump announced on Saturday 1st November that he had asked the Defense Department to prepare for possible swift military action in Nigeria, warning that any attack would be “fast, vicious, and sweet”.
The US government will also immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and top oil producer, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump called Nigeria a “disgraced country” and warned its government to move quickly.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has pushed back against Trump’s accusations, defending his country’s efforts to protect religious freedom. “We welcome U.S. assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity,” said Daniel Bwala, an adviser to President Tinubu.y
The extremist Islamist armed group Boko Haram has terrorized northeast Nigeria, killing tens of thousands of people over the past 15 years.y However, human rights experts have said most Boko Haram victims have been Muslims.
Trump’s re-designation of Nigeria as a country of concern opens the door to ay range of policy responses, such as sanctions or waivers, but they are not automatic. The US military footprint in West Africa was significantly diminished when about 1,000 troops withdrew from Niger last year.
The threat of military action has raised concerns about the future of US-Nigeria relations. Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry has vowed to keep fighting violent extremism and hopes Washington will remain a close ally.
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