Trump moots further strikes in Nigeria if Christian killings continue

The Nigerian government had said that the Christmas Day strikes were part of a ‘joint operation’ targeting ‘terrorists’ and had ‘nothing to do with a particular religion’.

US President Donald Trump said he could order more in Nigeria if killing of Christians continues, despite further denials by the Nigerian authorities that Christians suffer persecution.

Speaking to The New York Times last week, following the US’ Christmas Day strikes in Sokoto state and subsequent militant attacks across northern Nigeria in which dozens of Christians died, Trump said: “I’d love to make it a one-time strike … But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike.”

The Nigerian government had said that the Christmas Day strikes were part of a “joint operation” targeting “terrorists” and had “nothing to do with a particular religion”.

However, asked about an adviser’s claims about the proportion of Muslims and Christians killed by Islamic State and Boko Haram militants, Trump responded: “I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians.”

Congressman Riley Moore, who led a fact-finding mission to Nigeria late last year after claiming its Christians face “genocide”, said the killings of 32 people following the Christmas Day strikes could have no other basis except jihadists’ intention to eliminate the Christians. He said their “declaration that Christians are legitimate targets … removes any doubt about religious persecution”.

“This isn’t about land dispute or climate change. This is persecution of Christians for their faith- plain and simple”, Moore said on social media.

Claims of persecution have divided Church leaders in Nigeria, and senior prelates have largely focused their criticism on the government’s failure to address the widespread poverty which they say drives the security crisis.

The Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, the administrative body of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), said “faith-based institutions are being challenged to renew their spiritual foundations” in this environment.

Following a retreat for all CBCN agencies led by Bishop Gerald Musa of Katsina on 6 January, a statement from the secretariat said it had “turned inward, beginning its 2026 retreat with a strong emphasis on prayer, reflection and unity”.

Bishop Musa said authentic service in the Church must be rooted in a personal encounter with God, warning that without intentional prayer and withdrawal, spiritual life becomes weakened.  The retreat covered the Jubilee and the application of Dilexi Te, the first encyclical of Pope Leo’s pontificate.

Reflecting on God’s immeasurable love, the bishop challenged participants to examine their commitment, humility and gratitude, noting that seeking God in the wrong places leads to spiritual dryness. Bishop Musa addressed practical workplace challenges, cautioning against unhealthy competition among departments.

Nigeria rejects allegations of Christian genocide from US lawmakers

Christianity under siege in Nigeria

Stay updated — add us as a preferred news source on Google: