The United States President, Donald Trump, yesterday asserted that American forces were “annihilating terrorists killing Christians” in Nigeria, claiming the militants had “killed thousands and thousands of Christians.”
“Many good things are happening,” Trump said. “In Nigeria, we are annihilating terrorists who are killing Christians. We’ve hit them very hard.
They’ve killed thousands and thousands of Christians.” He made the remarks during the Board of Peace signing ceremony on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, while discussing what he described as progress in global peace and security efforts. However, Nigerian authorities have repeatedly rejected this characterisation of the country’s security challenges.
The Federal Government has stressed that terrorism and violent extremism affect all communities, regardless of religion, with victims including Muslims, Christians, and others. National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, have all highlighted in various briefings that Nigeria’s security crisis is driven by a complex mix of terrorism, banditry, and organised criminal violence, rather than a solely religious agenda. At the ceremony, Trump underscored the importance of the newly unveiled initiative, saying: “What we’re doing is so important.
This is something I really wanted to be here and do, and I could think of no better place.” He also addressed developments in the Middle East, particularly Gaza, insisting the territory must be demilitarized and rebuilt. “Gaza has to be demilitarised and rebuilt nicely,” he said, warning militant groups to disarm. “If Hamas doesn’t do what they promised, they must lay down arms, or it’ll end them.
They grew up with rifles.” Trump linked both the Middle East and Nigerian security situations to the work of the Board of Peace, which he said is attracting growing international interest. Regarding the composition of the new peace body, he added, “Everybody wants to be on the Board of Peace. These are just the countries here now; loads more will join.” And in another development, the US has once again called on the Nigerian government to take stronger and more decisive action to protect Christian communities.
The US Under Secretary for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, said this during a high-level US–Nigeria working group meeting in Abuja yesterday. Hooker said the meeting was to discuss how both countries can work together to deter violence against Christian communities, prioritise counterterrorism and insecurity, investigate attacks and hold perpetrators accountable, and reduce the number of killings, forced displacements and abductions of Christians, particularly in the north-central states.
She said that while some progress had been made in recent months, recent attacks showed that Nigeria must do more to guarantee the safety of Christians and their right to practise their faith freely. “On the protection of Christians, the Nigerian government recently secured the release of 38 Christians abducted from a church in Kwara State, and another 265 abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School. This real progress is a direct result of our engagement with the Nigerian government,” she said.
