CITIZENS COMPASS— The President of the United States of America (USA), Donald Trump, has threatened to carry out further airstrikes in Nigeria should there be attacks on Christians.
Trump disclosed this yesterday, in an interview published by The New York Times.
He said he hoped a recent U.S. operation in northwest Nigeria would be a one-off, but stressed that further action could follow if Christians continue to be killed. The remarks refer to a military strike carried out on Christmas Day, which Trump and U.S. officials said targeted Islamic State militants at the request of the Nigerian government.
“I’d love to make it a one-time strike,” Trump told the newspaper. “But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike”. Trump also acknowledged that Muslim communities have been affected by violence, but insisted that attacks on Christians were disproportionate.
Trump has repeatedly amplified concerns about the safety of Christians in Nigeria, at times describing the situation as threatening to the future of the faith in the region. His latest statement comes as Nigerians and international observers grapple with how to interpret the U.S. military’s role in Nigerian security affairs.
