Originally published in Relevant
US President Donald Trump has ordered the military to prepare for possible action in Nigeria, saying Islamist militant groups are killing Christians in large numbers and accusing the government of failing to protect them.
Trump did not specify which killings he was referring to, but in recent months widespread reports have documented brutal attacks against Christian communities across Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern regions where Christian leaders have warned for years that believers are being targeted by extremists.
- Advertisement -
“They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria,” Trump said on Sunday. “They’re killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen.”
The president said he has instructed the Department of War to prepare for “possible action,” warning that the US could deploy troops or carry out airstrikes unless Nigeria acts swiftly to stop the violence.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that any attack “will be fast, vicious and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians,” adding that all U.S. aid to the “now disgraced country” would be cut if it does not intervene.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly backed the president, replying that the Department of War “is preparing for action”.
“Either the Nigerian government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Hegseth wrote.
Trump also announced that he had declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” a US State Department designation reserved for nations involved in severe violations of religious freedom.
Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, said Nigeria “would welcome US help” in tackling jihadist groups but emphasised that the country remains sovereign. He said Trump’s comments should not be taken literally but viewed as a sign of his intent to help.
Tinubu responded by affirming his government’s commitment to protecting all communities, saying that violence in the country “affects people across faiths and regions”.
Still, Christian leaders have warned for years that believers are being specifically targeted by extremist groups. Human rights organisations estimate more than 52 000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, with over 7 000 murdered in 2025 alone. Thousands more have been kidnapped and more than 19 000 churches destroyed.
The violence is concentrated in the Middle Belt and northern states, where groups such as Boko Haram, ISIS affiliates and militant Fulani herdsmen have attacked villages, burned churches, abducted women and children and forced families from their homes.
Open Doors ranks Nigeria seventh on its 2025 World Watch List of countries where Christians face the most extreme persecution, estimating the nation accounts for more than 80% of all Christian deaths worldwide.
Despite the scale of the crisis, global attention has been limited. On HBO’s Real Time, host Bill Maher recently called out the lack of coverage, saying: “They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country.”
Christian advocacy groups such as Global Christian Relief have continued providing aid to those displaced, delivering food, shelter and trauma care to thousands. For many, Trump’s comments signal renewed international attention to a crisis that Nigerian believers have long endured largely alone.
The redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern is a step in the right direction, said Jo Newhouse, spokesperson for Open Doors’ field work in sub-Saharan Africa, reports The Christian Post. He said it is “an acknowledgment that the problem is largescale and serious, and an important symbolic recognition of the tremendous suffering of the most vulnerable in parts of Nigeria”. This designation creates an opportunity for measured, effective international pressure centered on accountability and protection, not military intervention.
Sean Nelson, Senior Counsel for Global Religious Freedom at the Alliance Defending Freedom International, also welcomed the designation, reports Christian Today.
“The evidence is clear: the persecution of Christians in Nigeria is deliberate and at horrifying levels,” he said.
“The US should never stand idly by as our brothers and sisters in Christ face persecution for their faith, and we are grateful that the US government has made combatting persecution a priority.
“ADF International has supported the legal defense of clients in Nigeria for years who have faced the most severe violations of religious freedom.
“We have been consistently advocating for this critical designation for years and are committed to ensuring that it results in real change in Nigeria.
“The time is now for every persecuted Christian to find justice. The world should stand with the persecuted in Nigeria—and everywhere—now.”
Please help us to keep on publishing news that brings Hope in Jesus:
>> Donate >> Become a Super Subscriber
VISIT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/gatewaynews100
COMMENTING GUIDELINES
You are welcome to engage with our articles by making comments [in the Comments area below] that add value to a topic or to engage in thoughtful, constructive discussion with fellow readers. Comments that contain vulgar language will be removed. Hostile, demeaning, disrespectful, propagandistic and off-topic comments may also be moved. This is a Christian website and if you wish to vent against Christian beliefs you have probably come to the wrong place and your comments may be removed. Ongoing debates and repetitiveness will not be tolerated. You will also disqualify yourself from commenting if you engage in trolling.
