Africa. A senior official at the U.S. Department of State said that Washington is considering measures such as imposing sanctions and involving the Department of Defense (the Pentagon) in counterterrorism efforts, as part of a plan to pressure the Nigerian government to pay greater attention to protecting Christian communities and religious freedoms.
President Donald Trump has placed Nigeria under scrutiny and earlier in November threatened military action over what he called the mistreatment of Christians in the country. Nigeria, however, insists that such allegations are a misinterpretation of a complex security situation and fail to acknowledge ongoing efforts to uphold religious freedom.
The senior State Department official, who heads the Africa Bureau, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday that “the Trump administration is developing a plan to encourage — and, if necessary, compel — the Nigerian government to focus on protecting Christian communities and improving the state of religious freedom.”
He added that “the plan will include the participation of the Departments of State and Treasury regarding sanctions, as well as the potential involvement of the Department of Defense in counterterrorism operations and other efforts aimed at protecting religious communities.”
Earlier, the Nigerian government had renewed its rejection of President Trump’s accusations of “genocide” against Christians, calling the claims “misleading and damaging to Nigeria’s image.”
In October, Trump reinstated Nigeria on the U.S. list of “Countries of Particular Concern” accused of violating religious freedoms.
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed its commitment to combating extremism and expressed hope that Washington would remain a close ally, stressing that the country “will continue to protect all citizens regardless of ethnicity, creed, or religion.”
Nigeria is home to over 200 ethnic groups practicing Christianity, Islam, and traditional religions, with a long history of coexistence despite sporadic violence fueled by ethnic divisions and resource conflicts.
The Boko Haram insurgency, ongoing for 15 years in northeastern Nigeria, has killed tens of thousands, with human rights experts noting that the majority of victims are Muslims.
While the Nigerian government and the African Union deny any persecution or genocide based on religion, internal and international critics continue to call for stronger action to address the chronic security crisis that has cost the lives of tens of thousands of citizens.
