ABUJA: Nigeria has strongly dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of a “genocide” against Christians, calling the accusations unfounded and politically motivated, even as Trump suggested the possibility of U.S. military intervention in the West African country.
In a statement on Sunday, Trump indicated that he was considering “a range of military options,” including the deployment of troops or air strikes, to stop what he described as the “mass killings of Christians” in Nigeria. “They’re killing Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen,” Trump said while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. When asked about sending U.S. troops or launching strikes, he responded, “Could be, I mean, a lot of things — I envisage a lot of things.”
Nigeria’s government quickly rejected the accusations, asserting that the violence in the country is not based on religion but is part of broader challenges involving terrorism and banditry. Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, a spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized in an interview with Al Jazeera, “We are not proud of the security situation that we are passing through, but to go with the narrative that only Christians are targeted — no, it is not true. There is no Christian genocide in Nigeria.”
Ebienfa explained that attacks from groups such as Boko Haram and al-Qaeda-linked militants affect people of all faiths, including Muslims and traditional worshippers. “The killings were not restricted to Christians alone. Muslims are being killed. Traditional worshippers are being killed… The majority is not the Christian population,” he said.
While Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to working with international partners, the government also warned that any U.S. intervention should respect the country’s sovereignty. “We are ready to work with partners to fight terrorism, but not any passive action that will undermine the sovereignty of our country,” Ebienfa added.
Daniel Bwala, an adviser to President Bola Tinubu, echoed these sentiments, telling Reuters that Nigeria would welcome U.S. assistance, as long as it recognizes the country’s territorial integrity. Despite Trump’s labeling of Nigeria as a “disgraced country,” Bwala downplayed the comments, noting, “We don’t take it literally, because we know Donald Trump thinks well of Nigeria. I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism.”
Trump’s remarks came a day after the U.S. reinstated Nigeria on its list of “Countries of Particular Concern” for alleged violations of religious freedom, alongside countries like China, North Korea, Russia, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
Nigeria, with a population of over 200 million, is divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south. The country has faced insurgencies from Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) for more than 15 years, leading to tens of thousands of deaths and widespread displacement.
President Tinubu, a Muslim married to a Christian pastor, has rejected claims of religious persecution. He emphasized that his administration supports inclusivity, pointing to the recent appointment of a Christian as Nigeria’s new defence chief as evidence of his commitment to equality and balance.
