President’s Statement in Response to Trump’s ‘Guns-a-Blazing’ Warning
Following the previous day’s warning by Donald Trump about a potential military intervention, the Nigerian president has expressed his stance. Trump’s comments, deemed ‘unrealistic’ by some, highlight the necessity for bilateral cooperation if any operation were to occur.
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Jang Jae-eun – Nigeria has expressed principled support for Donald Trump’s commitment to counterterrorism operations.
In an interview with Reuters on the 2nd (local time), Nigerian President Bola Tinubu stated, “We welcome support as long as America respects our territorial integrity.”
President Tinubu further added, “I am confident of better outcomes against terrorism through shared resolve until the two leaders meet face-to-face.”
This statement comes in response to Trump’s warning, made the previous day, regarding potential military actions against Nigeria for its alleged negligence over Christian persecution. Trump announced via Truth Social, “If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S. will immediately halt all aid and support to Nigeria.”
He further warned, “We might enter this disgraceful country ‘guns-a-blazing’ to completely eliminate these Islamic terrorists committing such horrendous atrocities.”
The U.S. government recently designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern for religious freedom, alongside China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.
Announcing Nigeria’s designation on October 31, President Trump claimed that Christianity in Nigeria faces an existential threat.
However, analyses and situation reports from experts familiar with Nigeria differ from Trump’s statements.
The nonprofit Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) reported that terrorism in Nigeria is not exclusively targeting Christians. According to ACLED, of the 1,923 civilian attacks this year in Nigeria, only 50 instances had Christians as religious targets.
Lead analyst for Africa at ACLED, Rad Stewart, told Reuters, “Rebel groups like Boko Haram or the Islamic State’s West Africa Province occasionally launch anti-Christian attacks, but they indiscriminately perpetrate violence that destroys entire communities.”
The description indicates that Nigeria’s Islamic extremist violence is part of a complex dynamics involving political power struggles, land disputes, ethnic conflicts, sectarian tensions, and armed robbery.
According to the CIA World Factbook, Nigeria’s population is over 236.7 million, with Muslims making up 53.5% and Christians 45.9%. Nigeria’s constitution enshrines freedom and tolerance of religion.
The majority in Nigeria’s north are Muslim, while the south predominantly comprises Christians, with extremist violence occurring mostly in the northeast, where Muslims are the majority.
Many believe that while the Trump administration may push for an anti-terror military operation, it cannot realistically ostracize the Nigerian government.
Security experts suggest that cooperation is needed to target the scattered armed groups throughout Nigeria’s vast territory.
The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Niger, neighboring Nigeria, further complicates potential operations.