US President Donald Trump has ordered the preparation of plans for military action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups, accusing the government of not doing enough to halt the killing of Christians.
Trump did not specify which killings he was referring to, but claims of a genocide against Nigeria's Christians have been circulating in recent weeks and months in some right-wing US circles.
Groups monitoring violence say there is no evidence to suggest that Christians are being killed more than Muslims in Nigeria, which is roughly evenly divided between followers of the two religions.
The government of Africa's most populous nation has not responded to the threat of US military action.
However, Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu insisted that there was religious tolerance in the country and said the security challenges were affecting people across faiths and regions.
Trump wrote in a social media post on Saturday that he had instructed the US Department of War to prepare for possible action, warning that he might send the military into Nigeria guns-a-blazing unless the Nigerian government intervened. He stated that all aid to the country would be cut.
Trump added: If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!
Earlier, Trump declared Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern due to the existential threat posed to its Christian population, claiming “thousands” have been killed without providing evidence.
This designation allows for sanctions against countries engaged in severe violations of religious freedom. Following this announcement, Tinubu asserted that his government was committed to working with the US and the international community to protect communities of all faiths.
The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, the Nigerian leader stated.
Jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have terrorized northeastern Nigeria for over a decade, causing many deaths, predominantly among Muslims, according to political violence analysis group Acled.
In central Nigeria, clashes frequently occur between mainly Muslim herders and farming communities, often Christian, over access to resources.
These cycles of violence have resulted in thousands of deaths, but human rights activists argue there's no evidence to support claims that Christians are disproportionately targeted.
Trump, who has previously emphasized a desire to avoid military entanglements, is facing mounting pressure from some factions on the right regarding this issue.
Additional reporting by Chris Ewokor in Abuja
