Trump Orders U.S. Military to Draw Airstrike Plans for Nigeria, Report

• The U.S. military is reportedly drawing up contingency plans for possible airstrikes in Nigeria after former President Donald Trump directed the Pentagon to “prepare to intervene” to protect Christians from terrorist attacks, according to a report by The New York Times.

The United States military is reportedly preparing contingency plans for potential airstrikes in Nigeria, following a directive from President Donald Trump instructing the Pentagon to “prepare to intervene” to protect Christians from terrorist attacks, The New York Times repo

According to the publication, U.S. Africa Command has submitted several operational options to the Department of Defense in response to a request from Secretary Pete Hegseth to develop plans consistent with Trump’s orders.

Officials familiar with the matter described three levels of engagement — “heavy,” “medium,” and “light” — outlining varying degrees of U.S. military involvement in Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations.

The “heavy” option would deploy an aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf of Guinea, with fighter jets or long-range bombers capable of striking militant targets deep in northern Nigeria.

Under the “medium” plan, MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator drones would carry out targeted strikes on insurgent camps, vehicles, and convoys — coordinated with U.S. intelligence for what the Pentagon calls “precise and timely” operations.

The “light” option focuses on intelligence sharing, logistics, and joint operations with Nigerian forces to counter Boko Haram and other Islamist groups blamed for killings, kidnappings, and attacks on churches.

However, senior Pentagon sources reportedly warned that limited strikes or drone operations may not end Nigeria’s prolonged insurgency unless the U.S. launches a full-scale campaign similar to those in Iraq or Afghanistan — a step Washington is not currently considering.

Earlier, Channels Television reported that Trump had threatened to send U.S. forces into Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” if the government failed to stop what he called the “killing of Christians by Islamists.”

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet.”

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The statement came a day after he declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern,” describing ongoing attacks on Christians as a “mass slaughter.”

In his post, Trump added:

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”

He directed U.S. lawmakers to open investigations and evaluate aid programs tied to Nigeria.

Tinubu Responds: ‘Nigeria Respects Religious Freedom’

Responding to the allegations, President Bola Tinubu dismissed claims that Nigeria is hostile toward Christians, reaffirming the country’s commitment to religious tolerance and freedom.

“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” Tinubu said in a statement.

“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.”

He added that since 2023, his administration has engaged both Christian and Muslim leaders to address nationwide security challenges.

“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” he said.

Tinubu reaffirmed that Nigeria would continue to work with the U.S. and international partners to safeguard communities of all faiths and strengthen bilateral cooperation on security.