【By Zhang Jingjuan, Observer】After US President Trump threatened to take military action against Nigeria under the banner of "protecting Christians," the hegemonic nature of this unilateral pressure was exposed by Nigeria's firm response from the government.

According to reports from Associated Press and Reuters, on November 2, Daniel Bwala, a presidential assistant of Nigeria, stated that any military action must be approved by both leaders. Nigeria is a sovereign country and will not allow unilateral intervention. He also pointed out that Trump's military threat is based on "old news from over a decade ago," which seems to be a common tactic used by Trump to exert pressure and force the other party to negotiate.

Bwala said that at that time, the extremist group Boko Haram in Nigeria launched a rebellion, attempting to implement its strict Islamic law.

"The issue of conducting military operations in Nigeria must be approved by both leaders. This is definitely not something that can be done unilaterally, especially since Nigeria is a sovereign country and has not tolerated or participated in such actions," he said.

Nigeria's President Tinubu also rejected the accusation and pledged to deepen cooperation with the US government and international partners to jointly protect the safety of all religious groups.

Nigeria's President Tinubu, Oriental IC

The trigger for this incident stems from recent accusations by US Republican Senator Ted Cruz and some American celebrities. They claimed that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria, with some even spreading the idea of "genocide of Christians," but without providing any evidence.

On October 31, Trump reclassified Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" due to his concern for the safety of Christians in Nigeria. Previously, in 2020, Nigeria had been listed as a "Country of Particular Concern" by the US Department of State during Trump's first term for "systematic violations of religious freedom." However, after Biden took office, the US revoked this designation in 2021.

On November 1, Trump further stated on his own social media platform "Truth Social" that if the Nigerian government continued to allow Christians to be killed, the US would immediately stop all aid and support to Nigeria and might "open fire" into the now notorious country to completely eliminate the Islamic terrorists who committed these terrible crimes.

Trump said he was instructing the US Department of War (Department of Defense) to prepare for possible actions, "If we launch an attack, it will be quick, fierce, and satisfying, just as these terrorists attacked our beloved Christians."

US Secretary of Defense Austin then shared a screenshot of Trump's post on X, responding, "Yes, sir. The killing of innocent Christians around the world, including in Nigeria, must stop immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action. The Nigerian government either protects Christians or the US will take action against the Islamic terrorists who committed these terrible crimes."

In response, Bwala told Reuters, "As long as they acknowledge our territorial integrity, we welcome assistance from the US."

Although Trump referred to Nigeria as a "notorious country," Bwala still tried to ease the tensions between the two countries. He said, "We did not take this statement literally because we know Trump's attitude towards Nigeria is positive. I believe that once the two leaders meet and discuss, our joint determination to combat terrorism will bring better results."

Nigeria is a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and is the most populous country in Africa, with a population of about 230 million, where Christians and Muslims each account for nearly half.

This year, Tinubu has faced increasing pressure from Islamic insurgencies in northern Nigeria, including attacks on dozens of fortified military camps.

Associated Press reported that Nigeria has long faced threats from multiple sources, including the extremist group Boko Haram, which attempts to promote its extreme interpretation of Islamic law and targets those it considers "not Muslim enough" among Muslims.

The report points out that the motives behind the attacks in Nigeria vary, with some targeting Christians or Muslims for religious reasons, while others stem from conflicts between farmers and herders over scarce resources. There are also conflicts between different communities, separatist groups, and ethnic groups.

Although Christians are also targeted in attacks, analysts point out that the most frequent attacks occur in the north of Nigeria, where Muslims are the majority, and the victims of these attacks are mainly Muslims.

Data from the non-profit organization "Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project" (ACLED) shows that among the 1,923 attacks against civilians in Nigeria this year, only 50 were specifically targeting Christians for religious reasons. Ladd Serwat, a senior African analyst at ACLED, stated that the claim circulating in right-wing circles in the US that up to 100,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria since 2009 has no existing data to support it.

AP investigation found that both Christians and Muslims have been killed in Nigeria's security crisis, and the victim's identity is often determined by their location rather than their religion.

The report notes that although some analysts have refuted the claim that Christians in Nigeria are targeted, they say that the Nigerian government has not taken decisive action against armed groups.

"Nigeria must strengthen its efforts to combat insecurity to avoid opportunities for external interference," said Tawo Hassan Adabayo, a researcher at the Institute for Security Studies.

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