Former US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Nigeria, vowing to take aggressive action if the government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.” In a fiery video shared on Truth Social, Trump declared that he would “do things to Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about” and “go into that now-disgraced country guns-a-blazing.”
Trump’s comments come amid a growing debate in Washington, where campaigners and politicians have accused Islamist militants of systematically targeting Christians in Nigeria. However, much of the data fueling these claims remains difficult to verify and may not accurately represent the situation on the ground.
In September, US talk show host Bill Maher described the situation as a “genocide,” claiming that Boko Haram militants had “killed over 100,000 since 2009 and burned 18,000 churches.” Similar statistics have circulated widely online, amplified by conservative politicians and advocacy groups.
The Nigerian government, however, has dismissed these claims as “a gross misrepresentation of reality.” Officials argue that terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) target people indiscriminately — Muslims, Christians, and those of no faith alike — and that most victims of jihadist attacks in the country are actually Muslims.
Security analysts in Nigeria have explained that while Christians have indeed suffered attacks, it is inaccurate to frame the violence as a targeted campaign of religious extermination. “Christians have been attacked as part of a broader strategy of spreading terror, not as the sole target of a systematic religious war,” one expert said.
Nigeria, a country of more than 220 million people, is roughly split between Muslims and Christians, with Muslims forming the majority in the north — the region most affected by jihadist violence. The government continues to battle multiple overlapping security crises, including armed banditry, separatist movements, and farmer-herder conflicts.
In the United States, several politicians have joined Trump in raising alarms over alleged Christian persecution. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas has cited similar figures, claiming that “since 2009, over 50,000 Christians in Nigeria have been massacred, and over 18,000 churches and 2,000 Christian schools have been destroyed.”
Cruz’s office clarified that the senator was describing “persecution,” not genocide, but accused Nigerian officials of “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.”
Trump’s remarks echo these sentiments, calling Nigeria a “disgraced country” for what he described as the government’s failure to protect Christians. In response, Nigerian authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to fighting terrorism and welcomed potential US assistance provided it is done through mutual cooperation rather than unilateral intervention.
Despite ongoing military operations, extremist groups continue to launch deadly attacks in the north-east, where Boko Haram and ISWAP remain entrenched. The insurgency, which began in 2009, has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions across the region.
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