In a stern warning to the Nigerian government, President Donald Trump has cautioned that the United States military might intervene in Nigeria if the persecution of Christians continues unabated.
Trump's remarks, made on Truth Social, also hinted at the possibility of halting all aid and assistance to Nigeria if the government fails to address the issue.
"If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, 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," Trump stated.
He further instructed the Department of War to "prepare for possible action," promising a swift and ruthless response akin to the brutal attacks suffered by Christians in Nigeria. According to Breitbart, Trump's warning comes in the wake of his previous assertion that Christians in Nigeria are facing an existential threat, with thousands falling victim to radical Islamists.
Trump has also taken the step of designating Nigeria as a "COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN," calling on Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK) to investigate the matter and report back to him. "Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter," Trump asserted.
In response to Trump's allegations, Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Maitama Tuggar refuted claims of a genocide in Nigeria. "For the avoidance of any doubt, and out of respect for all the victims and survivors around the world of this unique and appalling crime against humanity, let the record show that there is no genocide, now or ever, in Nigeria," Tuggar stated.
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Muslim, also denied allegations of religious persecution against Christians, dismissing them as unfounded.
Breitbart News's Frances Martel reported that Boko Haram terrorists abducted nearly 300 schoolgirls from the Christian community of Chibok in northern Borno State in April 2014, with over 90 of the girls still missing. The government's response to this horrific incident has been criticized as inadequate.
Rap superstar Nicki Minaj and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) have also weighed in on the issue. Minaj praised Trump for his stance on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, while Cruz accused Nigerian officials of ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.
Cruz, sharing a Reuters article about the exodus of over 5,000 people from Nigeria to Cameroon following a Boko Haram attack, called for accountability and proposed the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act to impose sanctions on those responsible.
While the Nigerian government continues to deny allegations of religious persecution, the international community, led by figures such as Trump, Cruz, and Minaj, is increasingly calling for action to protect Nigeria's Christian population. The threat of U.S. military intervention and the cessation of aid underscore the seriousness of the situation.
It remains to be seen how the Nigerian government will respond to these escalating pressures and whether it will take decisive action to halt the persecution of Christians in the country.
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