By: Sunday Ameh
A statement attributed to United States “War Secretary” Pete Hegseth has sparked widespread debate after he suggested that Washington is preparing for possible military action in Nigeria over continued attacks on Christian communities in the country.
Hegseth, in a social media post responding to former U.S. President Donald Trump, said the U.S. “Department of War” is making contingency plans should the Nigerian government fail to curb violence targeted at Christians.
“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA 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,” the post quoted Trump as saying, with Hegseth adding, “we are preparing for action.”
Trump claimed the Nigerian government has “turned a blind eye” to attacks on Christian communities, directing U.S. authorities to be ready for “fast and vicious” action if the situation persists.
The comments have generated intense reactions across diplomatic circles and social media, with many Nigerians expressing concern over the threat of external intervention in the country’s security affairs.
Security analysts note that violence in Nigeria affects multiple religious and ethnic groups, urging caution in framing the crisis solely along religious lines. The Nigerian government has yet to issue an official response to the remarks at the time of filing this report.
While the statements have circulated widely online, there has been no independent confirmation from official United States defense channels regarding any formal plans for military action.
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