Nigeria Turns President Trump’s Threats into Military Partnership After Christian Genocide Claims
- Nigeria has moved from rejecting Donald Trump’s claims of a “Christian genocide” to welcoming US military support in just three months
- What began as threats of sanctions and punitive measures has turned into cooperation, with American troops now training Nigerian soldiers
- Analysts say the shift reflects both Nigeria’s need to manage security challenges and Washington’s strategic interest in Africa’s largest oil producer
In early November, United States President Donald Trump posted on social media that the US “Department of War” was preparing to enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” over what he claimed was the killing of Christians.
The statement caused alarm across Nigeria, with fears of possible military action.
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Nigeria rejects claims of Christian genocide
According to Al Jazeera, Nigeria’s government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the accusations, saying that while the country faced serious security challenges from armed groups and banditry, Christians were not being specifically targeted.
Officials stressed that Muslim communities and traditional believers had also suffered attacks.
US watchlist and threats of sanctions
The Trump administration placed Nigeria on its “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) watchlist for religious freedom.
Washington threatened sanctions, cuts to financial aid, and punitive measures against Abuja for what it described as a failure to protect Christians.
Nigeria pivots to cooperation
Despite rejecting the “Christian genocide” claim, Nigeria shifted its approach. Instead of escalating rhetoric, Abuja welcomed US assistance in tackling armed groups.
On December 25, the US launched what Trump called “powerful and deadly” strikes in northwest Nigeria. However, the US military’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) clarified that the attacks were carried out “at the request of Nigerian authorities”.
US troops arrive in Nigeria
This week, 100 US military personnel arrived in Nigeria to train local soldiers. Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence said US forces would provide “technical support” and “intelligence sharing”, while not engaging directly in combat. The cooperation aims to help Nigeria target and defeat “terrorist organisations”.
Analysts note strategic shift
Ryan Cummings, director of analysis at Signal Risk, said the narrative had “transitioned completely from a slap on the wrist to one where there seems to be a holding of hands in tackling this issue together”.
Cheta Nwanze, CEO of SBM Intelligence, explained that Nigeria’s longstanding security partnerships since 1999 had favoured Western military doctrines. He added that what had changed was the “US posture”, with Washington now feeling more entitled to intervene where it sees strategic interests.
Lobbyists and working groups
Kabir Adamu, director of Beacon Security and Intelligence in Abuja, said the Tinubu administration had been “successful in de-escalating the Trump threat and in establishing a joint working group between the two countries”. However, he warned that Abuja had not been transparent about the agreements made with Washington.
In January, the US and Nigeria convened a joint working group to address Nigeria’s CPC designation and explore ways to reduce violence against vulnerable groups.
Oil and geopolitical interests
Analysts linked US involvement to Nigeria’s oil reserves. Nwanze said: “Nigeria holds tens of billions of barrels of oil reserves and is Africa’s largest producer.
The US National Security Strategy prioritises securing strategic resources through unilateral action.” He argued that counterterrorism framing was “genuine but convenient” as it also served resource security objectives.
Adamu added that Nigeria’s willingness to cooperate may have been influenced by the US’s abduction of Venezuela’s then-president Nicolas Maduro, noting similarities in oil interests.
Risk of escalation by armed groups
Experts warned that US military presence could embolden armed groups. Adamu said it might motivate them to intensify attacks and deepen Nigeria’s religious and ethnic divides.
“Adding a US military footprint, however limited, risks deepening instability by broadening the conflict’s ideological scope,” he cautioned.
Nigeria’s rapid shift from rejecting Trump’s accusations to welcoming US military support highlights both the fragility of its security situation and the geopolitical weight of its oil reserves. What began as a threat of sanctions has evolved into a partnership — but one that analysts warn could carry new risks for Nigeria’s stability.
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US to send 200 troops to Nigeria
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States has reportedly deployed 200 troops to Nigeria, with the aim of training the military forces of the West African country in its fight against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping.
The US troops are expected to strengthen the counterterrorism capacity of Nigeria by providing operational support for the West African country.
According to The Punch, an American military official disclosed that the development came weeks after President Donald Trump alleged that Nigeria has failed to protect Christians against terrorist attacks.
Source: Legit.ng
