United States President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Nigeria, threatening military intervention and the cessation of all aid if the alleged killing of Christians in the country continues. In multiple statements shared on his Truth Social platform, Trump called upon the U.S. Department of War (Defence Department) to prepare for swift and decisive action against "Islamic terrorists" responsible for what he described as "horrible atrocities" and an "existential threat" to Christianity in Nigeria. He explicitly stated that if the Nigerian government fails to act promptly to stop these killings, the U.S.A. would immediately halt all aid and assistance, and might "go into that now disgraced country, 'guns-a-blazing,' to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists."

These threats followed Trump's decision to redesignate Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC), citing severe violations of religious freedom and alleging a "Christian genocide." He claimed that thousands of Christians were being slaughtered by radical Islamists and urged immediate investigation by Congressman Riley Moore, Chairman Tom Cole, and the House Appropriations Committee, emphasizing that the United States "cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening." Trump's rhetoric was clear: the Nigerian government needed to "move fast" to avert these consequences.

In response, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu vehemently rejected Trump’s characterization of the nation as religiously intolerant, asserting that it does not reflect Nigeria's national reality. In a statement released on Saturday, President Tinubu affirmed Nigeria’s firm stance as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty for all its citizens. He highlighted his administration's consistent and sincere efforts since 2023 to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs, including maintaining open and active engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders, and diligently addressing security challenges that impact citizens across all faiths and regions.

President Tinubu further stressed that religious freedom and tolerance have always been a core tenet of Nigeria's collective identity and will remain so. He reiterated that Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it, underscoring that the country’s laws provide robust constitutional guarantees to protect individuals of all faiths. The Nigerian government, through President Tinubu, expressed its commitment to working with the United States government and the international community to foster deeper understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths. The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, echoed these sentiments, stating that President Trump’s claims do not accurately reflect the situation on the ground, and that Nigerians of all faiths have historically lived and worshipped together peacefully.

Beyond the executive responses, Senator Ali Ndume of Borno Central criticized both the Federal Government and the National Assembly for their perceived failure to address what he termed the "growing misconception" about religious persecution in Nigeria prior to the U.S. redesignation. Ndume, who had previously alerted the government and even moved a motion on the matter, argued that Nigeria, as a sovereign state, should have engaged Washington diplomatically to present facts and figures. He contended that the violence in Nigeria is not exclusively against Christians but affects "Nigerians generally," emphasizing that Muslims have also been killed, and called for a demand that the U.S. government hear the other side of the story from both the Nigerian government and the Muslim community.

Meanwhile, American rapper Nicki Minaj publicly supported President Trump's designation of Nigeria as a CPC. In a post on X, Minaj expressed deep gratitude for living in a country where religious freedom is upheld and voiced concern over global religious persecution, describing it as dangerous to ignore. She commended Trump and his team for "taking this seriously" and urged prayers for persecuted Christians worldwide, reinforcing the international dimension of the debate.