Violence in Nigeria

Nigeria Strikes Back: The Violence Here Is Not Religious

Nigeria's leading politicians are questioning Donald Trump's threat to attack the country, reports Nigeria's largest newspaper Punch. Trump justifies the move by saying that the government is not doing enough to curb the killings of Christians.

"The image of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant country does not reflect reality," writes the country's President Bola Tinubu on X.

Nigeria does have a big problem with terror and crime, but there is no persecution of Christians, writes Tinubu's advisor Bayo Onanuga.

"It is not that thousands of Christians are being slaughtered in Nigeria. We have criminals and terrorists who commit sporadic attacks in our villages, but it has nothing to do with religion. Christians, Muslims, churches and mosques are being attacked indiscriminately," he writes.

Trump threatens to enter Nigeria "with guns drawn"

Donald Trump believes that the Nigerian government is allowing Christians to be killed by Islamists and is therefore threatening to enter the country "with guns drawn", he writes on Truth Social.

"I hereby instruct our War Department to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be swift, brutal and satisfying - just as the terrorist thugs are attacking our beloved Christians", he writes.

About half of Nigeria's 220 million inhabitants are Christians and the other half are Muslims. The country has long been plagued by Islamist violence from the terrorist group Boko Haram, but most of those killed in the attacks are Muslims, writes AP.  

Expert: Trump's "crusade" in Africa is just an empty threat

Donald Trump's invasion threat against Nigeria is reminiscent of a modern crusade. Jan Hallenberg, associate senior researcher at the Swedish Institute for International Affairs, tells TT.

- Yes, it is a bit like that, it is white Christian nationalism that is in effect now, he says.

Trump has said that the US could enter Africa's most populous country "with guns drawn" if the country does not protect the Christian population better. Hallenberg dismisses this.

- I think it is an empty threat, I can't imagine him attacking Nigeria. What is he going to bomb?