War Secretary says US prepares for possible military action in Nigeria

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced that the Pentagon has begun preparations for possible military action in Nigeria, following an order from President Donald Trump.

"The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities," Hegseth wrote on X.

Earlier, Trump accused the Nigerian authorities on Truth Social of inaction and said that the U.S. could intervene if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.”

On the same day, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu issued a statement rejecting Trump’s earlier characterisation of Nigeria as a country of religious intolerance.

By Khagan Isayev