US President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened US military action against Nigeria. He said, “We’re going to do things to Nigeria that Nigeria’s not gonna be happy about.”

Trump added, “…guns are blazing to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible, horrible atrocities.”

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“I’m 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,” Trump said.

The Nigerian government responded swiftly, rejecting Donald Trump’s remarks as “unwarranted” and based on misinformation. Nigeria’s Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, defended the West African country’s counter-terrorism efforts and emphasised their commitment to ending extremist violence.

Why Donald Trump wants to attack Nigeria

Donald Trump last week put Nigeria back on a list of countries that the US says have violated religious freedom.

According to news agency AFP, Trump said Friday he was naming Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) — a State Department designation for religious freedom violations — over the killing of Christians by “radical Islamists”.

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Trump, who doubled down on his concerns over the “killing of Christians” throughout the weekend, later threatened military strikes on the country. He claimed he had asked the Defense Department to prepare for possible “fast” military action if Nigeria does not crack down on the killing of Christians.

Washington’s decision to designate Nigeria as a violator of religious freedoms has strained diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Nigeria reacts: ‘Trump’s threats unwarranted’

Mohammed Idris, on Wednesday, defended Nigeria’s record and said in a press briefing that Trump’s threats of military action were unwarranted and misrepresented Nigeria’s complex security challenges.

“…any narrative suggesting that the Nigerian State is failing to take action against religious attacks is based on misinformation or faulty data,” Mohammed Idris was quoted by Reuters as saying.

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Idris said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s government had made significant progress in tackling terrorism since taking office in May 2023.

“The Government of Nigeria remains open and willing to work closely with the Government of the United States, other friendly nations and partners, to achieve our shared goal, the complete elimination of terrorism on Nigerian soil,” Idris said.

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Under the administration of President Tinubu, security forces have killed more than 13,500 militants, arrested 17,000 suspects, and rescued over 11,200 hostages, including women and children, he said.

Idris said terrorism affected both Christians and Muslims, and that the government is committed to ending extremist violence through military action, regional cooperation and dialogue with international partners.

Meanwhile, Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Oluyede said on Monday the country faced terrorism, not persecution of Christians, and the Nigerian presidency has said it would welcome US help in fighting Islamist insurgents as long as the country’s territorial integrity is respected.

Conflicts in Nigeria

Nigeria, home to more than 200 ethnic groups practising Christianity, Islam and traditional faiths, has a history of coexistence but has also seen sporadic violence, often driven by ethnic tensions and competition over scarce resources.

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The West African nation is home to myriad conflicts that experts say kill both Muslims and Christians, often without distinction.

In addition to its jihadist insurgency, Nigeria also faces “bandit” gangs in the northwest who stage kidnappings, village raids and killings.

(With inputs from agencies)