Overview
- President Trump reiterated threats to cut aid or use force and re-listed Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, with The New York Times reporting AFRICOM has drawn up potential combat options.
- Reported Pentagon scenarios include support to Nigerian forces, possible drone strikes, or deploying an aircraft carrier group to the Gulf of Guinea, though no operation has been announced.
- The State Department said the United States is ready to work with Nigeria and urged Abuja to do more to protect vulnerable Christians.
- Nigeria’s government rejected allegations of systemic religious persecution and emphasized complex security drivers, as local voices quoted by AFP warned that U.S. rhetoric could undermine fragile community peace efforts.
- In Washington, Rep. Riley Moore plans a House resolution condemning killings of Christians and Sen. Ted Cruz backs sanctions, even as BBC reporting questions widely cited death tolls and notes opaque NGO data and Muslim victims.