Nigeria has firmly rejected any potential unilateral military intervention by the United States, following a threat by Donald Trump to deploy U.S. troops to address alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Daniel Bwala, spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, said that military operations in Nigeria would require the agreement of the Nigerian government because Nigeria is a sovereign state, and cannot be subject to U.S. military action without its consent. (AP News)
At the same time, Nigeria said it welcomes U.S. assistance against Islamist insurgents — but such aid must respect Nigeria’s territorial integrity and be coordinated with the Nigerian government. (Reuters)
The U.S. threat emerged after Trump accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians, then stated the Pentagon was being instructed to prepare for possible action. Nigeria dismissed the claims as based on outdated or misleading reports, noting that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of violence and that the crisis is more complex than religious persecution alone. (Politico)
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