Overview
- Nigeria’s new army chief, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, pledged intensified operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP during an operational visit to Borno State.
- President Trump reiterated that he has instructed the Pentagon to prepare for possible military action and warned U.S. aid could be cut if Nigeria fails to curb attacks on Christians.
- A State Department representative said Washington wants to work with Nigeria on security, as reports cited AFRICOM contingency plans ranging from support to potential drone strikes.
- President Bola Tinubu’s government rejected claims of state-tolerated religious persecution and emphasized diplomatic engagement, while Nigerian civil-society groups condemned U.S. threats as an affront to sovereignty.
- Advocacy groups cite thousands of Christians killed this year, a characterization challenged by Nigerian legal and community voices who say violence often spans faiths and is driven by insurgency, banditry and land conflicts.