 "Nigeria open to US help against Islamist insurgents but insists on sovereignty after Trump warning")
Nigeria said on Sunday (November 2, 2025) it would welcome assistance from the United States in tackling Islamist insurgents, provided its territorial integrity is respected, news agency Reuters reported.
The response came after US President Donald Trump threatened “fast” military action over what he described as the persecution of Christians in the country.
“We welcome US assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity,” Daniel Bwala, adviser to President Bola Tinubu, told Reuters. Downplaying Trump’s criticism, he added: “Once both leaders meet and sit, there will be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism.”
Trump renews criticism over religious freedom
Trump’s warning followed Washington’s decision to reinstate Nigeria on its list of “Countries of Particular Concern” for alleged violations of religious freedom — alongside China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia and Pakistan.
He also called Nigeria a “disgraced country”, cautioning that US forces could act swiftly if Abuja failed to curb violence against Christians.
Islamist insurgency grips northeast Nigeria
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 200 million people, has battled Islamist extremism for more than 15 years. Groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have killed thousands and displaced millions — mainly in the Muslim-majority northeast.
While some Christian communities have been attacked, analysts note that most victims have been Muslims.
Violence is ‘indiscriminate’, says expert
Ladd Serwat of the US-based conflict tracker ACLED said the insurgents’ violence is largely “indiscriminate” and driven by overlapping political, ethnic, and land disputes.
“Insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa often present their campaigns as anti-Christian, but in practice their violence devastates entire communities,” he said.
ACLED data shows that of nearly 1,923 civilian attacks in Nigeria this year, only about 50 were explicitly targeted at Christians. Serwat dismissed claims circulating in some US right-wing circles that 100,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009, calling them unsupported by evidence.
Tinubu defends Nigeria’s record on religious freedom
President Tinubu, a Muslim married to a Christian pastor, rejected accusations of religious intolerance and said his administration protects freedom of faith.
He has sought to maintain a balance in government and military appointments — including naming a Christian as the country’s new defence chief last week.
Mixed reactions on the ground
Some Christians in Abuja voiced support for possible US involvement. “If Donald Trump said they want to come in, they should come in — there is nothing wrong with that,” said businesswoman Juliet Sur.
Airstrikes could prove difficult
Security experts warned that any US strikes in Nigeria would face significant challenges. Insurgent groups are scattered across vast regions and move fluidly between Nigeria and neighbouring countries such as Chad, Cameroon, and Niger — where US troops withdrew last year.
Analysts said Washington would likely need to rely on close cooperation with the Nigerian military — even as Trump threatened to cut off assistance to it.
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