United States Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, has indicated that the US military is preparing for possible action in Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians, reinforcing a warning earlier issued by President Donald Trump that has sparked global reactions.
Hegseth stated that the continued violence targeting Christian communities in Nigeria was unacceptable and that the US government would not hesitate to intervene if the Nigerian authorities failed to act decisively.
“The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria — and anywhere — must end immediately. The Department of War is preparing for action,” Hegseth said.
He further warned that the Nigerian government must rise to its responsibility of protecting all citizens regardless of faith, stressing that the US would not “stand idle” while religious persecution persists.
The development follows Trump’s recent declaration describing Nigeria as a “country of concern” due to what he called the systematic killing of Christians by extremist groups in parts of the country.
