By Charles Pemu 
In a fiery social media post over the weekend, President Trump declared that if the Nigerian Government “continues to allow the killing of Christians,” the U.S. would not only “immediately stop all aid and assistance” but also “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.”
He further announced that he was instructing the “Department of War to prepare for possible action,” warning, “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet.” This military threat has put the world on notice regarding a potential conflict in West Africa. The move is strongly supported by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who publicly confirmed that the “Department of War is preparing for action.”
The Nigerian government has vehemently rejected the U.S. assessment and countered the threats with a firm display of internal resolve.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, insisted that the Nigerian leader was “well ahead of the orchestrated game unfolding in America” concerning the renewed pressure.
Onanuga highlighted that President Tinubu had already issued strong directives to the new service chiefs days before Trump’s threats, demonstrating foresight in tackling the nation’s security challenges. Sharing an excerpt from the President’s address to the military, Onanuga stressed the shift to proactive measures:
“Security threats are constantly evolving, constantly mutating… We must not allow these new threats to fester. We must be decisive and proactive. Let us smash the new snakes right in the head.”
President Tinubu himself previously dismissed the claims of religious intolerance, stating that such characterizations “do not reflect our national reality” and affirming Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to protecting all faiths. Reports also indicate that President Tinubu is expected to meet with President Trump in the coming days to resolve the differences in perception regarding the nature of the violence.
The pressure on Nigeria is not solely executive. Powerful right-wing U.S. lawmakers, led by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), are pushing for a punitive legislative framework.
Senator Cruz introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, aimed at codifying the current policy and expanding sanctions. This bill seeks to impose targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, on Nigerian officials who are deemed to be facilitating Islamist violence or enforcing Sharia and blasphemy laws.
The US move is rooted in claims from lawmakers and religious freedom advocates that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria, where thousands of believers are allegedly being killed by radical Islamists an assessment Nigeria’s government firmly denies, arguing that both Muslims and Christians are victims of indiscriminate terror groups.