U.S. Threatens to Halt Aid to Nigeria Over Christian Killings
SITIPPE
The United States has issued a strong warning to the Nigerian government, threatening to suspend all aid and potentially take military action if attacks on Christians in the country continue.
Speaking during a White House press briefing on Tuesday, U.S. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Washington was “deeply concerned” by ongoing reports of violence against Christian communities across parts of Nigeria.
“If the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the United States will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria,” Leavitt told reporters. “We may also take necessary action to wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
The comments mark one of the strongest public statements yet by the U.S. administration on Nigeria’s religious violence, which has claimed thousands of lives in recent years, particularly in the country’s Middle Belt region.
The Nigerian government has not yet formally responded to the statement, but officials in Abuja have previously insisted that the country’s security agencies are working “tirelessly” to restore peace and prosecute those responsible for sectarian violence.
Human rights observers say Leavitt’s comments could signal a tougher U.S. policy stance, one that links future cooperation to tangible improvements in Nigeria’s human rights and security record.
