In a stunning escalation, U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the American military to prepare for possible strikes on Nigeria, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s government of “allowing the mass slaughter of Christians.”
According to a report by The New York Times, the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) has already sent three strike plans — codenamed heavy, medium, and light — to the newly renamed Department of War at the request of Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The “heavy option” would see an aircraft carrier group deployed to the Gulf of Guinea, launching fighter jets and long-range bombers against targets deep inside northern Nigeria.
The “medium option” focuses on drone strikes using Predator and Reaper drones to hit militant camps and convoys.
The “light option” emphasizes joint operations with Nigerian forces to combat Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other Islamist insurgents.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump declared last week. “The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world.”
The White House has already designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) — a diplomatic move that automatically triggers sanctions, suspension of arms deals, and intelligence cooperation.
A Conflict Too Complex for Airstrikes
Experts warn that any U.S. strike campaign could be disastrous.
Retired U.S. Army General Paul Eaton, a veteran of the Iraq War, cautioned that launching air raids in Nigeria would “cause more confusion than control,” calling the move “like pounding a pillow.”
The violence tearing through Nigeria’s north and middle belt, analysts say, is far more tangled than the Trump administration’s narrative of religious persecution.
While jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP have targeted Christians, they’ve also massacred Muslim civilians, attacked mosques, and kidnapped indiscriminately.
In 2017, a bomb blast in a mosque in Adamawa killed at least 50 worshippers, while another attack the following year killed 86.
Strategic and Logistical Nightmares
Even the Pentagon admits the “heavy” strike plan faces massive hurdles. The U.S. has limited carrier availability, with most fleets tied up in the Pacific, Middle East, or Caribbean, where Trump recently ordered operations against drug cartels.
The medium option is no easier: after pulling out of drone bases in Agadez and Niamey, Niger, the nearest American launch points are Djibouti or southern Europe, far from Nigeria’s north.
And the “light option” — meant to rely on cooperation with Nigerian forces — faces its own crisis: the Trump administration dissolved USAID earlier this year, cutting off a key channel for U.S.-Nigeria security collaboration.
‘Fast, Vicious, and Sweet’
Despite the complications, Trump appears undeterred.
He told reporters the coming action would be “fast, vicious, and sweet,” signaling a willingness to use overwhelming force — even amid doubts from his own military.
Diplomatic observers warn the move could ignite a major geopolitical flashpoint in West Africa, potentially dragging the U.S. into another open-ended war.
