Overview
- The president said he directed the Department of War to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria and warned of an immediate suspension of all U.S. assistance.
- The declaration followed his designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom, based on claims of mass killings of Christians that were not publicly sourced.
- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the characterization as inconsistent with Nigeria’s reality, affirmed protections for all faiths, and expressed willingness to cooperate with the United States.
- Coverage emphasizes that violence in Nigeria involves jihadist insurgents, communal and farmer–herder conflicts, and other drivers, with both Christians and Muslims among the victims.
- Lawmakers and legal experts noted major legal and diplomatic hurdles to unilateral force, and one outlet quoted Secretary of War Pete Hegseth saying his department is preparing to act.