'Guns-a-blazing’: Trump threatens military action against Nigeria over attacks on Christians

US President Donald Trump stirred yet another storm after he had ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria after he had condemned the country’s government for failing to protect its Christians. The order for military action from Trump came a day after he said that Christians are facing persecution in the country.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA 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,” Trump posted on social media. “I am 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!”

The warning came shortly after Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, earlier on Saturday, pushed back against Trump’s accusations. In a social media statement, Tinubu said that the characterisation of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant country does not reflect the national reality.

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“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” Tinubu said. “Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it. Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.”

Trump’s claim of Christian persecution in Nigeria

On Friday, Trump said, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria” and “radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter”. The American leader’s remarks on the matter came a week after the US Senator Ted Cruz urged Congress to designate Africa’s most populous country a violator of religious freedom, with claims of “Christian mass murder”.

Nigeria has a population of 220 million people who are equally split between Christians and Muslims. The country has been facing insecurity from various fronts, including the Boko Haram extremist group, which seeks to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law. However, the group has also been targeting the Muslim population in the country, insisting that they are “not Muslim enough”.

Attacks that were unleashed in Nigeria have had varying motives. There are religiously motivated ones targeting both Christians and Muslims, clashes between farmers and herders over dwindling resources, communal rivalries, secessionist groups and ethnic clashes.

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While Christians are among the most targeted, analysts say that the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigeria’s Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur. Both Christian and Muslim groups operating in the country have often alleged “genocide” during religiously motivated attacks against both sides.

The government of Nigeria has often rejected Cruz’s claims, which were discussed among Nigerians. “There is no systematic, intentional attempt either by the Nigerian government or by any serious group to target a particular religion," Information Minister Idris Muhammed told The Associated Press.

Kimiebi Ebienfa, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reiterated the commitment of Nigeria to protect citizens of all religions. “The Federal Government of Nigeria will continue to defend all citizens, irrespective of race, creed, or religion,” Ebienfa said in a statement on Saturday. “Like America, Nigeria has no option but to celebrate the diversity that is our greatest strength.”

With inputs from The Associated Press.