The United States military has reportedly prepared contingency plans for possible airstrikes in Nigeria following President Donald Trump’s directive to “intervene and protect Christians” from terrorist attacks.
According to a New York Times report on Wednesday, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) submitted multiple operational options to the Department of War in response to a request from Secretary Pete Hegseth. The directive aligns with Trump’s recent order to the Pentagon to develop intervention strategies targeting militant groups accused of persecuting Christians in northern Nigeria.
Military officials familiar with the plans told the newspaper that the proposals—classified as “heavy,” “medium,” and “light”—outline different scales of U.S. engagement in Nigeria’s conflict zones.
Under the “heavy option,” Washington could deploy an aircraft carrier strike group to the Gulf of Guinea, supported by fighter jets or long-range bombers to target insurgent strongholds deep within northern Nigeria.
The “medium option” involves using MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1 Predator drones for precision strikes on insurgent camps and convoys, supported by U.S. intelligence networks. Meanwhile, the “light option” proposes intelligence sharing, logistics support, and joint operations with Nigerian forces against Boko Haram and other Islamist factions accused of mass killings and abductions.
Despite the planning, Pentagon insiders reportedly admit that limited drone or airstrike operations are unlikely to end Nigeria’s prolonged insurgency without a broader military campaign—an approach Washington is not currently considering.
PUNCH Online earlier reported that President Trump had threatened to deploy U.S. forces to Nigeria if the alleged “genocide against Christians” was not stopped. However, the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu has dismissed the claim, describing it as “baseless and inaccurate.”
Meanwhile, China has openly declared support for Nigeria, condemning any foreign interference disguised as religious or human rights advocacy.
“As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in another nation’s internal affairs or threaten it with sanctions and force,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said during a press briefing in Beijing on Tuesday.
Reacting to the development, Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, reiterated that the country’s security crisis is rooted in terrorism, not religious persecution.
“The government disputes claims of targeted religious persecution. Since 2023, President Tinubu’s administration has neutralised over 13,500 militants and rescued more than 11,000 hostages,” Idris said. “Nigeria remains open to U.S. collaboration on counterterrorism while maintaining its sovereignty.”
However, Trump, in a renewed statement on Wednesday night, doubled down on his position, saying: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening. We stand ready and willing to protect our great Christian population around the world.”
The unfolding diplomatic tension has stirred global concern over potential U.S. military involvement in Africa’s most populous nation, with analysts warning that any intervention could destabilise regional security and worsen Nigeria’s internal conflicts.
