Trump Warns of Further US Air Strikes in Nigeria

US President Donald Trump has warned that American military action in Nigeria could continue if attacks on Christians persist, despite Nigeria’s repeated denial that any religious group faces systematic persecution.

Trump made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times, published on Thursday, while discussing a US airstrike carried out in Nigeria on Christmas Day.

According to the US military, the operation targeted Daesh militants in northwestern Nigeria and was conducted at the request of the Nigerian government. Nigerian officials later described the strike as a joint mission aimed at terrorist groups, stressing that it was not connected to religious identity.

Speaking about the possibility of further action, Trump said he hoped the strike would be a one-time event, but added that continued violence against Christians could lead to additional attacks. He also acknowledged that Muslims have been killed in Nigeria, but claimed Christians were being targeted more frequently.

Nigeria, home to more than 230 million people, has a nearly even split between Christians and Muslims. Christians largely live in the south, while Muslims are concentrated in the north. The country has long struggled with insecurity, including extremist violence and mass kidnappings, particularly in northern regions.

Nigerian authorities strongly reject claims of religious persecution, emphasizing that militant groups have killed both Muslims and Christians. Officials maintain that the violence is driven by terrorism, not religion.

Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar recently confirmed that military cooperation with the United States is ongoing. He said Nigeria provided intelligence support for the strikes and reiterated that the operations are joint efforts focused solely on counterterrorism.

Trump’s comments followed his earlier public statement describing the Christmas Day strike as a symbolic blow to Daesh, deliberately timed to send a message to the militant group.