Nigeria Urges Respect for Sovereignty After Trump Threatens Military Action
Nigeria on Sunday said it would accept US help in fighting Islamist insurgents as long as its sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected, after US president Donald Trump threatened military action over alleged persecution of Christians.
Trump said on Saturday he had asked the US Defence Department to prepare for “fast” military action in Nigeria if the government failed to stop the killing of Christians.
Daniel Bwala, a spokesperson for Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, told Reuters Nigeria was open to cooperation but not to any infringement on its territory. “We welcome US assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity,” he said.
Bwala sought to calm tensions after Trump called Nigeria a “shameful country”. “I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism,” he added.
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa, has been battling Islamist insurgents like Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province for over 15 years. Most of the attacks have been in the mainly Muslim north east, but clashes between Muslim herders and Christian farmers in the central regions have also contributed to instability.
Analysts say the majority of victims of Islamist violence are Muslims. “Insurgent groups often present their campaigns as anti-Christian, but in practice their violence is indiscriminate,” said Ladd Serwat, senior Africa analyst at the US-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED).
ACLED data shows that out of 1,923 attacks on civilians in Nigeria this year, 50 were targeted at Christians because of their religion. Claims circulating in US conservative circles that 100,000 Christians have been killed since 2009 are not supported by data, Serwat added.
Trump’s comments came a day after his administration put Nigeria back on the US list of “Countries of Particular Concern” over religious freedom violations, along with China, Russia and Pakistan.
Tinubu, a Muslim married to a Christian pastor, has denied allegations of religious bias and pointed to recent efforts to balance religious representation in government, including the appointment of a Christian defence chief.
In Abuja, some worshippers said they would support US intervention. “If Donald Trump said they want to come in, they should come in,” said Juliet Sur, a businesswoman attending Sunday Mass.Experts say US airstrikes would be tricky given the country’s size and US withdrawal from Niger last year. Militants cross from Nigeria’s northern borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
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Nigeria Urges Respect for Sovereignty After Trump Threatens Military Action