Top officials of the United States government have urged President Bola Tinubu to take urgent steps to end the alleged persecution and killing of Christians in Nigeria, warning that continued inaction could prompt U.S. military intervention.
The warning follows a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump, who on Saturday threatened to halt aid to Nigeria and direct the U.S. Department of War to “go in, guns blazing” if the killings persist.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social account, said:
> “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians. WARNING: The Nigerian Government better move fast!”
Following Trump’s post, Riley Moore, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia’s 2nd District, echoed the former president’s warning in a message to the Tinubu administration on X (formerly Twitter).
“To the Government of Nigeria and President Tinubu: President Trump has provided forewarning. If you do not act to stop the killing of Christians, the days of the U.S. looking the other way are over. It will never happen on his watch,” Moore said.
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He added:
“We want your people to live in peace — all of them, especially Christians. The President has been clear. I would not test his resolve. Many have tried and all have failed.”
In a separate post, Pete Hegseth, who serves as the U.S. Secretary of War, reiterated the administration’s readiness to act.
“The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will eliminate the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Hegseth wrote.
The development came shortly after Trump reclassified Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged systematic religious persecution. Nigeria had previously been on the CPC list between 2017 and 2021 during Trump’s first term, before being delisted by President Joe Biden in 2021.
Reacting to the U.S. officials’ remarks, President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to religious freedom and the protection of all citizens regardless of faith.
In a statement posted on X, Tinubu said:
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. Our administration maintains open engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders and continues to address security challenges affecting citizens across faiths and regions.”
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into account our consistent efforts to safeguard freedom of religion and belief for all Nigerians.”
He added that Nigeria remains committed to working with the U.S. and other international partners to promote peace, understanding, and cooperation in protecting communities of all faiths.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly denied allegations of religious persecution, maintaining that the country’s security challenges stem from terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts — not religion.