The country's leaders claim that they are tolerant.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated that if violence against Christians in Nigeria does not cease, an American military contingent may enter the country. He instructed the Pentagon to prepare a plan of action against Islamic terrorists in Nigeria.
"If the Nigerian government continues to allow Christians to be killed, the U.S. will immediately halt all aid and support to Nigeria and may very well enter the country," Donald Trump wrote on the social network Truth Social.
According to him, the United States could enter the country "fully armed to completely destroy the Islamic terrorists committing these horrific atrocities." He added that he "instructed the military department to prepare for possible actions."
For his part, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu issued a statement disagreeing with Donald Trump's earlier position that Nigeria is a country of religious intolerance.
"Religious freedom and tolerance have been foundational principles of our collective identity and will always be so," Bola Tinubu stated. "Nigeria stands against religious persecution and does not encourage it. Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees protecting citizens of all faiths."
Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that "Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria," and that "radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter." This message was published weeks after U.S. Senator Ted Cruz called on Congress to recognize Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom due to the "mass killings of Christians."
Nigeria has a population of 220 million people, roughly evenly divided between Christians and Muslims. The country faces security threats from various extremist groups, the largest of which is Boko Haram. It seeks to establish a radical interpretation of Islamic law, carrying out attacks on Christian churches and police stations.
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