GistReel
United States President Donald Trump has warned that American military strikes in Nigeria may continue if killings linked to extremist groups persist, raising concerns about a possible expansion of US involvement in the country’s security crisis.
The warning follows a US airstrike carried out on December 25 against Islamic State-linked fighters in northwest Nigeria, an operation Washington said was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.
US President links future military action to ongoing violence
The Christmas Day strike attracted global attention because of its timing and the religious sensitivities surrounding the violence in parts of northern Nigeria, where communities have faced years of insurgency and bandit attacks.
“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, suggesting that the United States could take further military action if attacks continue.
Nigeria rejects religious framing of security crisis
The Federal Government has repeatedly rejected claims that the violence in Nigeria amounts to a targeted genocide against Christians, insisting that armed groups kill both Christians and Muslims.
Officials say insurgents, bandits, and criminal gangs operate with mixed motives, including ideology, ransom, and territorial control, and that no single religious group is exclusively targeted.
“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians.”
Trump’s statement appeared to contradict assessments by his own senior Africa adviser, who had noted that extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria.
Nigerian authorities have emphasised that the country’s security challenges are complex and not driven solely by religion, stressing the need for a broad counter-terrorism strategy.
The government says it will continue to work with international partners while strengthening local security efforts to protect all communities, regardless of faith.