Trump announces he has ordered the Pentagon to prepare for action in Nigeria

2025-11-02 09:31:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he has ordered the Defense Department to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria, as he continues to accuse the nation of not doing enough to stop violence against Christians, a charge that Nigeria has repeatedly denied.

In a social media post criticizing what he called the "mass massacre" of Christians in the country, Trump wrote that the United States would immediately cut off all aid and assistance to Nigeria and warned the government there to move quickly.

Trump said the US "could enter that now disgraced country, 'armed,' to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrific atrocities."

Both Christians and Muslims have been victims of attacks by radical Islamists in the country of more than 230 million people. The violence in the country is fueled by different factors: some incidents are motivated by religion and affect both groups, while others arise from disputes between farmers and herders over limited resources, as well as communal and ethnic tensions.

Although Christians are among those targeted, local reports indicate that most of the victims are Muslims living in Nigeria's predominantly Muslim north.

"I am hereby directing our War Department to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be swift, vicious, and sweet, just as the terrorist thugs are attacking our beloved Christians! Watch out: Nigerian government better move fast," Trump said.

"Yes sir," US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on social media, along with a screenshot of Trump's comments.

Trump's announcement comes after he accused Nigeria of violating religious freedoms on Friday, claiming that "Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria" and designating the nation as a "Country of Particular Concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act. The label is a suggestion that his administration has found that Nigeria has engaged in or tolerated "systematic, ongoing (and) egregious violations of religious freedom."/ CNA, translated by CNN