President Donald Trump has warned that if killings tied to terrorist organisations continue, American military attacks in Nigeria may resume, increasing concerns about a potential extension of US involvement in the country’s security problem.
The warning comes after a US airstrike on December 25 on Islamic State-linked insurgents in north-west Nigeria, which Washington claimed was carried out at the request of the Nigerian government.
The Christmas Day strike drew international attention due to its timing and the religious sensitivity surrounding the violence in parts of northern Nigeria, where communities have experienced years of insurgency and banditry.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike… but if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”
Trump made the remark in an interview with The New York Times published on Thursday, implying that if the attacks continue, the US may take more military action.
The Federal Government has frequently denied that the violence in Nigeria constitutes a targeted genocide targeting Christians, stating that armed groups kill both Christians and Muslims.
According to officials, insurgents, bandits, and criminal groups are motivated by a variety of factors, including ideology, ransom, and territorial domination, and no single religious community is specifically targeted.
“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians.”
Trump’s statement appeared to contradict the findings of his own senior Africa adviser, who stated that extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria.
Nigerian officials have stated that the country’s security concerns are complicated and not exclusively motivated by religion, emphasising the necessity for a comprehensive counter-terrorism policy.
The administration said it will continue to collaborate with foreign partners while also bolstering local security operations to protect all communities, regardless of religion.
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