The United States military has drawn up possible intervention plans for Nigeria after former President Donald Trump repeated claims of “mass killings” of Christians in the country and directed the Pentagon to prepare a response.
Trump, in a video posted by the White House on Wednesday, described the situation as an “existential threat” to Christianity, alleging that “radical Islamists” were behind what he called “a mass slaughter.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged the order and instructed the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), based in Stuttgart, Germany, to propose options. Officials said three plans — light, medium and heavy — had been sent to Washington.
The light option involves supporting Nigerian security forces in countering Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province through intelligence sharing and limited operational support.
A medium option would authorize drone strikes on militant camps and vehicles in northern Nigeria. However, the U.S. military’s recent withdrawal from drone bases in Niger complicates logistics, with Russian forces now occupying those facilities.
The heavy option proposes deploying an aircraft carrier to the Gulf of Guinea to conduct airstrikes, though officials said such a move was unlikely given other global priorities.
Nigeria’s government has said it welcomes U.S. assistance against insurgents but insists that any foreign military action must respect its sovereignty.
Security analysts warned that a major U.S. operation in Nigeria could risk escalating conflict. “It would be a fiasco,” said retired Maj. Gen. Paul D. Eaton, citing the limited appetite in Washington for another foreign intervention.
Boko Haram and Islamic State affiliates have targeted both Christians and Muslims in northern Nigeria for nearly two decades.