Washington, 2 November 2025 (dpa/MIA) - US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened Nigeria's government with military strikes, citing the killing of Christians by Islamist terrorists in the West African country as the reason.

"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,' to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities," Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

Trump went on to say that he was instructing the Pentagon "to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!"

Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had previously said in a post on X that his country "opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it."

"Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths," he added.

On Friday, Trump said in another post that "Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria."

The US president claimed that "thousands of Christians are being killed," adding that "radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter."

He went on to say he would classify Nigeria as a "country of particular concern" for severe violations of religious freedom - joining countries including China and Russia on the list.

Tinubu rejected the characterization of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant country, saying it "does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians."

"Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths," the Nigerian president continued on X.

Boko Haram began a violent campaign in north-east Nigeria in 2009 to introduce a strict Islamic theocracy in the West African nation.

More than 35,000 people have been killed in this conflict, while more than 2 million people have been displaced.

Photo: MIA archive