US advances discussions on troops, sanctions in Nigeria

The U.S. is drafting a proposal that includes weighing possible military engagement in Nigeria, a senior State Department official said this week.

The discussion comes weeks after President Donald Trump threatened military action in Africa’s most populous country over the alleged persecution of Christians by Islamic insurgent groups.

The Trump administration may also choose to escalate its pressure campaign by less dramatic means, including through imposing sanctions, Jonathan Pratt, a senior bureau official for African Affairs at the State Department, testified to the House Foreign Affairs Committee .

The White House casts its overall objective as safeguarding religious liberties.

“The Trump administration is developing a plan to incentivize and compel the Nigerian government to better protect Christian communities and improve religious freedom,” Pratt said Thursday. “This plan will consider U.S. State and Treasury engagement on sanctions, as well as possible Department of War engagement on counterterrorism and other efforts to protect religious communities.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine held high-level talks with a Nigerian delegation — led by its national security adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu — late Thursday evening at the Pentagon.

Hegseth emphasized the need for Nigeria to “demonstrate commitment” and “take both urgent and enduring” action to quell the violence against Christians, according to a Department of Defense readout .

The White House asserts the president has “made his position clear” on the complex situation in the West African country, which has long suffered violence at the hands of terrorist groups and violent extremists.

“I think Nigerians have an opportunity to deepen and strengthen their relationship with the United States if they will prioritize the protection of these communities,” Rep. Riley Moore (R-WV) said at a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa hearing this week. “Of course, non-Christians are being killed too. [We’re] not saying that’s not happening, but there is a systematic, targeted campaign that’s happening here.”

Trump, in a Truth Social post earlier this month , said if Nigeria does not halt the alleged persecution of Christians, he may send troops “guns-a-blazing” to “completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action,” the president wrote at the time. “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!”

Nigeria has denied the accusations of persecution, and called the Trump administration’s characterization of events a “gross misrepresentation of reality.”

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu insists there is religious tolerance, while acknowledging security challenges in the country affect citizens “across faiths and regions.”

Tinubu said he is committed to working with the U.S. and international community to protect communities of all faiths in Nigeria.

Tanya Noury is a reporter for Military Times and Defense News, with coverage focusing on the White House and Pentagon.

美国国务院一位高级官员本周表示，美国正在起草一份提案，其中包括考虑可能对尼日利亚进行军事干预。

几周前，美国总统唐纳德·特朗普威胁要对非洲人口最多的国家采取军事行动，理由是伊斯兰叛乱组织涉嫌迫害基督徒。

美国国务院非洲事务高级官员乔纳森·普拉特在众议院外交事务委员会作证时表示，特朗普政府也可能选择以不那么激烈的手段升级其施压行动，包括实施制裁。

白宫将其总体目标定义为维护宗教自由。

普拉特周四表示：“特朗普政府正在制定一项计划，旨在激励和促使尼日利亚政府更好地保护基督教社区，并改善宗教自由。该计划将考虑美国国务院和财政部在制裁方面的参与，以及战争部在反恐和其他保护宗教社区方面可能采取的措施。”

周四晚间，国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯和参谋长联席会议主席丹·凯恩将军在五角大楼与由尼日利亚国家安全顾问努胡·里巴杜率领的尼日利亚代表团举行了高级别会谈。

据美国国防部发布的消息，赫格塞斯强调，尼日利亚需要“展现决心”，并“采取紧急而持久的”行动来平息针对基督徒的暴力行为。

白宫声称，总统已就这个西非国家的复杂局势“明确表明了自己的立场”，该国长期以来饱受恐怖组织和暴力极端分子的暴力侵害。

“我认为，如果尼日利亚人能优先保护这些社区，他们就有机会深化和加强与美国的关系，”众议员莱利·摩尔（西弗吉尼亚州共和党籍）本周在众议院外交事务委员会非洲小组委员会的听证会上表示。“当然，非基督徒也遭到杀害。[我们]并不是说这种情况没有发生，但这里确实存在一场有系统、有针对性的行动。”

特朗普本月早些时候在 Truth Social 上发帖称，如果尼日利亚不停止对基督徒的迫害，他可能会派遣军队“火力全开”地“彻底消灭犯下这些可怕暴行的伊斯兰恐怖分子”。

“我特此指示陆军部做好应对可能行动的准备，”总统当时写道。“如果我们发动攻击，那将是迅速、凶猛而又痛快的，就像恐怖分子袭击我们珍爱的基督徒一样！”

尼日利亚否认了迫害指控，并称特朗普政府对事件的描述是“对现实的严重歪曲”。

尼日利亚总统博拉·蒂努布坚称该国存在宗教宽容，同时也承认该国面临的安全挑战影响着“不同信仰和地区的”公民。

蒂努布表示，他致力于与美国和国际社会合作，保护尼日利亚所有信仰群体的权益。

Tanya Noury 是《军事时报》和《防务新闻》的记者，她的报道主要集中在白宫和五角大楼。