Nigeria Warns U.S. to Respect Its Sovereignty in Fight Against Islamist Insurgents

ABUJA, Nov 2, 2025 — Nigeria said Sunday it would welcome American assistance in combating Islamist insurgents, provided its national sovereignty and territorial integrity are fully respected. The statement came after former U.S. President Donald Trump warned of potential military action against the West African nation, citing the alleged persecution of Christians.

Trump said on Saturday that he had instructed the U.S. Defense Department to prepare for possible “rapid” military intervention if Nigeria fails to act decisively against the killing of Christians.

“We welcome U.S. support, as long as it recognizes and respects our territorial integrity,” said Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, in comments to Reuters.

Despite Trump’s strong remarks—calling Nigeria a “disgraced country”—Bwala emphasized that tensions between the two nations could ease through direct dialogue.

“I’m confident that once both leaders meet and engage, the outcome will strengthen our shared commitment to fighting terrorism,” he added.

Nigeria, home to more than 200 million people and about 200 ethnic groups, is sharply divided along religious lines—between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south.

For over 15 years, extremist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have waged deadly insurgencies in the country’s northeast, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions. While Christians have suffered attacks, analysts say most victims have been Muslims.

In central Nigeria, clashes frequently erupt between mostly Muslim herders and primarily Christian farmers over land and water resources. In the northwest, armed bandits regularly raid villages, abducting residents for ransom.

“Groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP often portray their violence as anti-Christian, but in reality, their attacks are indiscriminate and devastate entire communities,” said Ladd Serwat, Senior Africa Analyst at ACLED, a U.S.-based crisis-monitoring organization.

According to ACLED data, Nigeria has experienced 1,923 attacks on civilians so far this year, with only 50 incidents directly targeting Christians due to their religion. Serwat noted that claims circulating in U.S. right-wing media suggesting that 100,000 Christians have been killed since 2009 are not supported by available evidence.

“Islamist violence in Nigeria is part of a broader web of political, ethnic, and economic conflicts,” Serwat said. “It’s far more complex than a simple religious narrative.”