As Donald Trump warns US action against Islamist groups in Nigeria, read about the decade long anti-Christian violence in the country

The ongoing religious violence in Nigeria, driven by Islamists has drawn international attention as the United States issued a warning to the West African country regarding its responsibility to protect the community. On 31st October, President Donald Trump stated that he has urged the Defence Department to prepare for a potential “fast” military action Nigeria fails to crack down on the killings of Christians. He even declared that his administration would immediately cease all aid and support to the nation as well as the US army is going to land there “guns-a-blazing” to eradicate the terrorists who are carrying out these heinous crimes. Trump referred to Nigeria as a “disgraced country” and emphasised that its administration has to act swiftly. He added, “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians.” "The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!" – PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP pic.twitter.com/jvWcJmUPJ7— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 31, 2025 On 2nd November, Trump informed that the United States military could send soldiers or launch airstrikes to Nigeria to prevent the massacre of “very large numbers” of Christians there and expressed, “I envisage a lot of things.” “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” he charged and even asked US House of Representatives Appropriations Committee to look into the matter. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth took to social media to assert, “The Department of War is preparing for action.” He remarked, “Either the Nigerian government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.” Yes sir.The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities. pic.twitter.com/C0v9RHGoS1— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) November 1, 2025 “The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu claimed earlier while dismissing the allegations and cited “constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths,” to emphasise his argument. “Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths,” he added. Afterward, Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu conveyed, “We welcome US assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity,” reported Reuters. “We don’t take it literally, because we know Donald Trump thinks well of Nigeria,” he mentioned while downplaying Trump’s “disgraced country” comment. “I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism,” he stressed. The development transpired after Trump administration re-included the most populous African nation in the list of “Countries of Particular Concern” that the United States maintains have abused religious freedom including China, Myanmar, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Russia and Pakistan, among others. This allows for a variety of policy responses, including waivers and punishments, although they are not automatic. Nigeria was put under the label during Trump’s first term as well but it was removed after President Joe Biden came to power. Hundreds have been kidnapped and about 10,000 have been slaughtered after Bola Tinubu took office in the middle of 2023. Likewise, 3 million people have been forced to leave their homes due to the deteriorating situation. Violence against Christians in Nigeria Nigeria which is home to almost 200 million people from 200 different ethnic groups is split between a predominantly Christian south and a largerly Muslim north. Muslims form the majority in the country where jihadi groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province caused mayhem, killing thousands of people including countless Christians. Gunmen often assault towns in the northwest of the country, kidnapping locals for ransom, while in central Nigeria, there have been recurrent conflicts between primarily Christian farmers and mostly Muslim herders over access to pasture and water. Furthermroe, ethnic differences, communal rivalries, secessionist groups or disputes over limited resources frequently inte

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As Donald Trump warns US action against Islamist groups in Nigeria, read about the decade long anti-Christian violence in the country
Violence against Christians has been rampant in Nigeria.

The ongoing religious violence in Nigeria, driven by Islamists has drawn international attention as the United States issued a warning to the West African country regarding its responsibility to protect the community. On 31st October, President Donald Trump stated that he has urged the Defence Department to prepare for a potential “fast” military action Nigeria fails to crack down on the killings of Christians.

He even declared that his administration would immediately cease all aid and support to the nation as well as the US army is going to land there “guns-a-blazing” to eradicate the terrorists who are carrying out these heinous crimes.

Trump referred to Nigeria as a “disgraced country” and emphasised that its administration has to act swiftly. He added, “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians.”

On 2nd November, Trump informed that the United States military could send soldiers or launch airstrikes to Nigeria to prevent the massacre of “very large numbers” of Christians there and expressed, “I envisage a lot of things.”

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” he charged and even asked US House of Representatives Appropriations Committee to look into the matter.

Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth took to social media to assert, “The Department of War is preparing for action.” He remarked, “Either the Nigerian government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

“The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu claimed earlier while dismissing the allegations and cited “constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths,” to emphasise his argument.

“Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths,” he added.

Afterward, Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu conveyed, “We welcome US assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity,” reported Reuters. “We don’t take it literally, because we know Donald Trump thinks well of Nigeria,” he mentioned while downplaying Trump’s “disgraced country” comment. “I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism,” he stressed.

The development transpired after Trump administration re-included the most populous African nation in the list of “Countries of Particular Concern” that the United States maintains have abused religious freedom including China, Myanmar, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, Russia and Pakistan, among others.

This allows for a variety of policy responses, including waivers and punishments, although they are not automatic. Nigeria was put under the label during Trump’s first term as well but it was removed after President Joe Biden came to power.

Hundreds have been kidnapped and about 10,000 have been slaughtered after Bola Tinubu took office in the middle of 2023. Likewise, 3 million people have been forced to leave their homes due to the deteriorating situation.

Violence against Christians in Nigeria

Nigeria which is home to almost 200 million people from 200 different ethnic groups is split between a predominantly Christian south and a largerly Muslim north. Muslims form the majority in the country where jihadi groups like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province caused mayhem, killing thousands of people including countless Christians.

Gunmen often assault towns in the northwest of the country, kidnapping locals for ransom, while in central Nigeria, there have been recurrent conflicts between primarily Christian farmers and mostly Muslim herders over access to pasture and water. Furthermroe, ethnic differences, communal rivalries, secessionist groups or disputes over limited resources frequently intensify the violence.

21,409 people were killed in 11,862 attacks against civilians in Nigeria between January 2020 and September 2025, based on data gathered by the US based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) program. 317 people were killed in 385 of the incidents which were “targeted events against Christians where Christian identity of the victim was a reported factor.”

The Christian Association of Nigeria voiced that it has been working to raise awareness of “the persecution of Christians in Nigeria” over the years. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom also noted attacks against Muslims and Christians in Nigeria in its 2024 report, which it described as persistent abuses of religious freedom.

Joseph Hayab stated that the situation has improved over time, nevertheless, thousands of Christians have been slain, according to Associated Press. He is a former chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna state, one of the most affected regions in the country.

Image via livepopulation.com

“In too many cases, the perpetrators have gotten away with it and the impunity is deeply indicative of massive state failure,” pointed out Cheta Nwanze of the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence research firm, per a report in The Washington Post. “The criticism and pressure from Washington did not happen in a vacuum. It’s a result of many years of failure,” asserted Taiwo Hassan Adebayo, a researcher at the Institute of Security Studies.

Terror inflicted by jihadi outfits, Muslim herdsmen

The religious minority, particularly those residing on farms in small towns on the periphery of the largely Christian north central state of Benue tend to be the targets of vicious assaults.

The Boko Haram which desires to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria, started the bloodshed in 2002. The outfit has been planning terrorist strikes against the community and other civilians ever since. Its terrorism is turning harder to contain as tens of thousands of people have been slaughtered since its founding in 2002. Likewise, the unrest is also caused by Fulani Muslim herdsmen.

The distrust of ethnic Fulani pastoral groups stemmed from the deadly jihad that ravaged northern and central Nigeria and upended local structures alongside political systems. Hence, many communities in the area believe that the turmoil is actually a campaign to expel them from their territories.

Image via CBC

“What we are dealing with here in Benue is a calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits,” voiced James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse. He is the traditional leader of the ethnic group Tiv in Benue state.

“These Fulani militants account for more attacks against Christians (and Muslims) than either of the more prominent Boko Haram and ISWAP,” complained Religious Freedom Institute President David Trimble. They were accountable for 55% of all Christian fatalities between 2019 and 2023.

Christians reportedly experience prejudice and persecution as second-class citizens in northern Nigerian states governed by Sharia law. Nigerian legislation is rooted in persecution, with over a dozen provinces having sharia courts, blasphemy laws and sharia codes “that oppose equal rights and due process for religious minorities,” Trimble accused.

Notably, Nigeria is a member of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation which bills itself as “the collective voice of the Muslim world,” despite the fact that there isn’t an official religion of the country in legal terms.

Startling statistics regarding Christian persecution

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), a research and investigative rights organisation with headquarters in Nigeria, released a report, “Martyred Christians in Nigeria,” in early 2023. It disclosed that Islamic terrorists brutally murdered at least 52,250 Nigerian Christians since 2009.

The report added that over 30,000 members of the community were killed during the 8-year presidency of former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari who was regularly criticised for not doing enough to address the nation’s mounting insecurity.

During the time, 2,200 Christian schools and 18,000 Christian churches were burned down as more than 1,000 Christian were killed within the first few weeks of 2023. The number of torched churches rose to 19,100 by this September. Additionally, the terrorism also claimed the lives of about 34,000 moderate Muslims.

Similarly, over 200 Christians were abducted in Northern Nigeria’s Niger state at that time, including more than 100 Christians who were abducted in Adunu (Paikoro) on 14th March 2023. 707 Christians met the same fate throughout the period.

Kaduna had been the scene of at least 101 anti-Christian kidnappings while other states such as Katsina, Taraba, Edo, Ogun, Nassarawa, Kwara, Kogi, Borno, Yobe and Adawama Bauchi, Enugu, Imo, Kebbi, Gombe, Bayelsa and Cross River also witnessed similar occurrences.

Likewise, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) reported that at least 145 priests have been abducted, 11 have been killed and four are still missing since 2015. However, Intersociety stated that the situation is far worse. It indicated that at least 250 Catholic clergy members and 350 members from other churches have been targeted.

Intersociety also outlined that members of Nigerian army and police special units, as well as their leaders are suspected of abducting, killing and forcibly disappearing pastors from different Christian denominations.

The study also highlighted the existence of jihadi camps, like those in Rijana of Kaduna state where at least 850 Christians have been detained in appalling conditions. They would be tortured or killed if their families don’t pay a ransom. Catholic schools and communities have also been impacted by the systematic abduction of Christian children in eastern Nigeria, who are then taken to Muslim orphanages in the north for conversion to Islam.

Mass Christian exodus from Nigeria

Christians run the risk of dying at the hands of ethnic Fulani herders who joined extremist groups in addition to terrorist entities like Boko Haram. Hence, many people have been forcibly displaced as a result of the atrocities. Approximately 5 million Christians have been uprooted and compelled to live in refugee camps along regional and sub-regional borders as well as Internally Uprooted Persons (IDP) camps within Nigeria.

Nigeria is now among the most dangerous countries in Africa for Christians to live in, according to the Intersociety analysis. This was also noted in the 2023 Watch List that Open Doors, an interdenominational organisation that aids persecuted Christians worldwide, published in January. That report stated that 89% of all Christian deaths globally occur in Nigeria.

This violence has moved throughout the Middle Belt and even further south whereas earlier it primarily affected Christians in the Muslim-majority northern provinces, unveiled Open Doors. The women are taken and sexually violated while men are executed. Nigeria is the country with the highest number of religiously motivated murders worldwide.

Homes, churches and livelihoods are also destroyed by these terrorists. Violence and strife have forced over 16.2 million Christians from their homes in sub-Saharan Africa, including a significant number from Nigeria and pushed them to live in camps.

Evidence indicates religious motivated violence as government alleges otherwise

Nigeria has encountered the rise of a number of Islamic extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP especially in the country’s Muslim-majority north while other terror outfits have also begun to operate in recent years and are expanding into other regions, such as southern area. Furthermore, armed and radicalised Fulani group have created devastation in Nigeria’s Middle Belt which is majorly constituted by Christian regions.

Image via everycrsreport.com

All of these groups have caused waves of violence throughout the region, resulting in millions of people being displaced and thousands of deaths annually. The individuals have to survive in despicable conditions in IDP camps. The degree of violence varies throughout Nigeria as the majority of such incidents occur in the northern regions.

The Nigerian government and other analysts dismiss the accusations of violence motivated by religion, claiming that it is not the only cause of the unrest. The claims are partially true as there are other underlying factors as well but it is undeniable that Christians have faced attacks due to their religious beliefs

Christians have been deliberately and repeatedly designated as targets by ISWAP and Boko Haram, highlighted Open Doors. According to several victims when Fulani extremists strike, they chant not only “Allahu Akbar” but also “We will destroy all Christians.” The Islamist doctrine that has influenced them justifies the subjugation of Christians as infidels.

The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa which has meticulously gathered information on civilian fatalities and violence in the area, affirmed that the patterns are evident. Considering the relative numbers of Muslims and Christians in northern areas, the fundamentalists kill more Christians than Muslims. Christians are 5.1 times more likely to be kidnapped and 6.5 times more likely to be slain than Muslims.

More than 20,000 people were kidnapped between 2019 and 2023, making it a lucrative industry that supports the growth of Islamist organisations and is connected to active terrorist organisations. Bandits have been known to target anyone inclined to pay a price, but they have discovered that Christians and religious leaders in particular, might command a larger ransom. Thus, they are particularly vulnerable.

Conclusion

The government nabbed and convicted some ISWAP and Boko Haram terrorists but it has not prosecuted any Fulani accused with the same determination. Locals don’t believe that anyone will be held responsible for their violent actions. This is due to the fact that hundreds of suspects have been arrested over the years and the majority of them have since been freed without ever being charged or put on trial.

The recent emphasis on the issue appears to arise from the relentless decade-long violence in Nigeria coupled with evident government negligence and inaction.

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