Former U.S. President Donald Trump has stated he could authorize further airstrikes in Nigeria if attacks targeting Christians continue in the West African nation. The comment came during a recent interview following U.S. strikes in Sokoto state targeting Islamist militants.
Trump on Potential Further Strikes
When asked if the Christmas Day strikes in Nigeria’s northern Sokoto state were part of a larger military campaign, Trump said, “I’d love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians it will be a many-time strike.”
Nigeria’s government has disputed Trump’s earlier claims that it is failing to protect Christians from attacks, asserting that “Muslims, Christians and those of no faith alike” are targeted by violence.
Claims of Violence and U.S. Airstrikes
Reports of a genocide against Christians in Nigeria circulated in some U.S. right-wing circles last year. However, organizations monitoring political violence in Nigeria report that the majority of victims of jihadist groups are Muslims.
Trump acknowledged that Muslims are also being killed in Nigeria, stating, “I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians.”
Nigeria has a population of over 230 million people, with Christians predominately in the south and Muslims largely in the north.
The U.S. strikes on December 25th hit two camps run by a jihadist group called Lakurawa in Sokoto state, near the border with Niger. The number of casualties remains unclear, as neither the U.S. nor Nigerian government has released figures.
Lakurawa established a presence in the border region a few years ago, originating from areas north of Nigeria in the Sahel. U.S. and Nigerian governments have stated the militants are linked to Islamic State (IS) groups in the Sahel, though IS has not formally acknowledged ties to Lakurawa as it has with other groups in the region.
Nigeria’s Response
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar described the strikes as a “joint operation” and stated they were “nothing to do with a particular religion.” He also said the timing of the strikes had “nothing to do with Christmas,” despite Trump’s claim that he ordered them as a “Christmas present.”
Tuggar added that the strikes had the explicit approval of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu and involved the country’s armed forces.
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