By Lizzy Chirkpi
The United States President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could authorise additional military strikes in Nigeria if violence against Christians persists, pointing to the country’s worsening security situation as a major concern.
Speaking in an interview with The New York Times on Thursday, Trump was asked whether the Christmas Day airstrikes in Sokoto State aimed at Islamist militants were part of a wider military campaign. In response, he suggested future action would depend on developments on the ground. “I’d love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike,” he said.
The president’s comments come in the wake of his 2025 designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” a classification he justified by citing what he described as an “existential threat” to the nation’s Christian population.
Nigerian authorities have pushed back strongly against Trump’s characterisation. Government officials argue that insurgent and jihadist groups do not target victims based on religious identity alone, insisting that the violence cuts across all communities. “Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike” have been affected by the attacks, a government spokesperson said, dismissing claims that Christians are being specifically singled out.
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