The United States, under President Donald Trump, has significantly escalated its criticism of the Nigerian government, particularly following the recent mass abduction of over 300 students and 12 teachers from St Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Niger State. This incident, reported on Friday, marked one of Nigeria’s largest mass kidnappings in recent history, surpassing the infamous Chibok abduction of 2014. Trump has publicly labeled Nigeria "a disgrace" and accused its government of failing to protect Christians from violent extremist attacks, describing the situation as a "genocide" where "thousands" are being killed. He has also taken credit for bringing this security crisis to international attention, asserting that prior to his involvement, the violence went unnoticed.

The recent abductions have plunged families into distress, with many of the kidnapped students aged between seven and ten years old. The attack at St Mary's, which occurred at dawn, left dormitories empty. This event follows another abduction just days prior in Maga town, Kebbi State, where 25 schoolgirls were taken. Nigerian security officials have deployed tactical squads and enlisted local hunters to track the abductors, who are believed to be moving deeper into forested regions. The Niger State government criticized St Mary’s school for reopening without official notification, exposing students and staff to "avoidable risk." In response to the escalating crisis, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu cancelled his trip to the G20 summit in South Africa, with Vice President Kashim Shettima attending in his stead.

President Trump’s allegations of a targeted genocide against Christians in the West African nation have gained considerable traction, particularly within right-wing circles in the U.S. This narrative has been supported by notable personalities, including rapper Nicky Minaj, who publicly backed Trump's claims regarding the persecution of Christians in Nigeria due to their religion. Minaj emphasized the importance of religious freedom and condemned the burning of churches and tearing apart of families, stating that "No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion."

Historically, Nigeria has experienced numerous ethnoreligious conflicts where both Christian and Muslim communities have suffered extensive violence from various armed groups. However, Trump's administration maintains its focus on the persecution of Christians. The U.S. President has threatened severe repercussions, including immediately stopping all aid and assistance to Nigeria if the government fails to curb the violence. More drastically, he has considered military action, stating that the U.S. "may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists." He warned the Nigerian government to "move fast."

Trump had previously instructed the U.S. military to prepare for action in Nigeria. The Pentagon and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth confirmed that preparations were in top gear. Hegseth, after meeting with Nigeria’s National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, stated that the newly rebranded "Department of War" (DOW) was "working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists." The Trump administration has since categorized Nigeria as a "country of particular concern," a designation reserved for nations engaging in severe violations of religious freedoms, placing it alongside countries like North Korea, Russia, and China. This reflects the administration's intensified pressure and readiness to intervene in what it perceives as a critical religious freedom crisis in Nigeria.