Speaking through his social media platform, Trump declared that the U.S. would immediately suspend all aid and assistance to Nigeria, warning that American forces could intervene if the Nigerian authorities “continue to allow the slaughter of our Christian brothers and sisters.”

“We may have to go in and clean up that place,” Trump wrote. “If we strike, it will be swift and powerful and it will bring joy to those who have been suffering under these radical terrorists. My message to the Nigerian government is simple: act now before it’s too late.”

Trump’s comments come shortly after he added Nigeria to a list of countries of “particular concern” regarding violations of religious freedom, claiming that “Christians are under siege” in Africa’s most populous nation.

The Nigerian government swiftly rejected Trump’s accusations. President Bola Tinubu dismissed the remarks as “inaccurate and misleading,” insisting that his administration “is committed to protecting the rights and freedoms of all faiths.”

“Portraying Nigeria as a country that tolerates religious persecution is far from the truth,” Tinubu said in a statement. “We are working with the United States and other international partners to ensure peace and security for everyone, regardless of religion.”

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga also responded, describing Trump’s claims as “a gross misunderstanding” of Nigeria’s internal challenges.

“Both Christians and Muslims have been victims of extremist violence,” he said. “What we need is support not condemnation.”

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump’s call, posting that the Pentagon “is reviewing operational plans” to counter “Islamic extremists targeting innocent Christians in Nigeria and elsewhere.”

Nigeria has long struggled with insecurity linked to terrorism, ethnic and religious conflicts, and land disputes. Extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP have killed tens of thousands in the country’s northeast, attacking both Christians and Muslims who oppose their ideology.

In central Nigeria, recurring clashes between Muslim Fulani herders and Christian farming communities have also led to mass killings over the past decade.

Human rights organizations report that thousands of Christians have been killed in Nigeria over the past ten years, though security analysts caution against labeling the violence as purely religious, noting that many Muslim civilians have also been targeted.