نيجيريا على مشارف أزمة.. ترمب يقطع المساعدات ويطلب التأهب عسكرياً

In a new escalation that threatens to redraw the geopolitical map of West Africa, U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Department of Defense (Pentagon) to prepare plans for a potential military intervention in Nigeria if the Nigerian government continues what he called "allowing the killing of Christians."

Trump wrote in a post on his platform "Truth Social" that "if the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the United States will immediately stop all aid and assistance provided to it, and this defeated country may now deploy fully armed forces to completely eradicate the Islamic terrorists committing these horrific atrocities."

The U.S. president added that he has ordered the Pentagon "to prepare for action," noting that "Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria," referring to reports of thousands of Christians being killed by extremist groups.

This statement comes just one day after Trump added Nigeria to the list of "countries of particular concern" regarding religious freedom, a decision pushed by Republican Senator Ted Cruz and American evangelical groups, considering Nigeria responsible for the "genocide" of Christians.

This classification paves the way for economic sanctions, including a ban on humanitarian aid, and returns Nigeria to the list that the Biden administration removed in 2021 to improve bilateral relations.

Nigerian President Responds to Trump

For his part, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu strongly responded via the "X" platform, denying any "religious intolerance" and defending his country's efforts to protect "the religious freedoms of all," stating: "Classifying Nigeria as a religiously intolerant country does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into account our diligent efforts to protect our citizens of all religions."

The Nigerian president pointed out that the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of worship, and that his government has maintained an open dialogue with Christian and Muslim leaders since taking office in 2023, adding that the violence in the north and center targets everyone, and that Nigeria needs "strategic military support" from America to combat terrorists, not classifications that distort its image.

Nigeria, the largest African country by population (about 220 million people), is demographically divided between Muslims (about 50%, most of whom are in the north) and Christians (50%, most of whom are in the south and center).

Wave of Violence from Extremist Groups

Since 2010, the country has witnessed a widespread wave of violence in central (such as Plateau and Kaduna states) and northern regions, where extremist Islamic groups like "Boko Haram" and "Fulani herdsmen" are accused of killing thousands of Christians, destroying churches, and displacing communities.

According to reports from organizations like the "U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom" and "International Society for Civil Liberties," more than 7,000 Christians were killed in Nigeria during the first months of 2025 alone, with an average of 32 killed daily, and this is considered "genocide" by some activists.

Despite this, the Nigerian government asserts that the violence is perpetrated by terrorist groups targeting everyone (both Muslims and Christians), and that it has made intensive security efforts, including deploying the military and implementing security reforms.