US President Donald Trump on Wednesday renewed his threat of military action in Nigeria, saying he has ordered the Pentagon to prepare contingency plans and warning that Washington could halt all aid if the Nigerian government does not act to end what he describes as targeted killings of Christians.
Speaking in a video message from the White House, Mr Trump said he had redesignated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” on October 31 and called on U.S. lawmakers and defence officials to move quickly. He warned that the United States “cannot stand by” while the killings continue and said any U.S. intervention would be decisive.
“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid assistance to Nigeria,” Mr. Trump said. He added: “We are going to do things to Nigerians that Nigeria is not going to be happy about and may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
Mr. Trump told viewers he had instructed the “Department of War to prepare for possible actions,” and that any strikes “will be vicious and sweet.” He described Christianity in Nigeria as facing an “existential threat,” saying “thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed” and blaming “radical Islamists” for the violence.
The president urged Representative Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole to investigate the situation and report back to him immediately, saying the U.S. must be ready to act to protect Christian populations worldwide.
