President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to send the U.S. military into Nigeria if its government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.”
“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,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The president also said any potential U.S. military intervention in the West African country would be “fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!”
“WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!” Trump added.
Trump’s threat follows him designating Nigeria a “country of particular concern” on Friday. The designation applies to countries that have engaged in or tolerated “particularly severe violations of religious freedom,” according to the U.S. State Department.
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Nigeria has a population of over 220 million people, one that is largely split between Muslims and Christians. The terrorist group Boko Haram is active in the country, with the goal of overthrowing the Nigerian government and replacing it with an Islamic state.
In responding to Trump’s earlier move, the Nigerian government said it remains committed to combating “violent extremism.”