Trump Threatens Further Strikes in Nigeria Over Attacks on Christians

United States President Donald Trump has warned that Washington could carry out additional military strikes in Nigeria if attacks on Christians persist.

Trump issued the warning in an interview with The New York Times, where he was asked whether the Christmas Day missile strikes against the Islamic State terror group marked the beginning of a broader military campaign.

The strikes came about a month after Trump threatened to deploy US troops to Nigeria, saying they would go in “guns-a-blazing” to stop terrorists he claimed were killing Christians in the country. Some US politicians have repeatedly alleged that Christians are facing genocide in Nigeria.

However, the Nigerian government said it retained control over the decision-making process surrounding the single military operation. According to Ademola Oshodi, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Foreign Affairs and Protocol, Nigeria maintained authority over the action.

Trump, responding to questions on the possibility of further strikes, said additional action could not be ruled out.

“I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” he said. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”

The Nigerian government has consistently rejected claims that Christians are being deliberately targeted for killings.

In October, Trump’s senior adviser for Arab and African affairs, Massad Boulos, said extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS had killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria.

Asked about his adviser’s comments, Trump acknowledged that Muslims were also being killed, but insisted that Christians were the primary targets.