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The Nigerian government has said it would “welcome American support” fighting terrorism, but again denied that there was any Christian genocide happening in the country. Daniel Bwala, an advisor to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, said the country needs high-tech fighter jets, equipment and machinery to fight Boko Haram. It comes after President Donald Trump’s warning that the U.S. may go into the country “guns-a-blazing to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists” killing Christians and other groups. Nigeria has repeatedly denied Christians in the country, which is about evenly split between Christians and Muslims, are targeted for their religion. The government argues Christians are some of the many groups across all religions falling victim to terrorists operating in the country. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. State Department, via online contact form, for a response to Bwala's comments. Why It Matters Bwala’s latest comments signal an openness to working with Trump and using America’s military power to tackle its security issues. However, he is also doubling down on the country’s rejection of the genocide narrative, and insisting on national sovereignty as part of any military action. The situation in Nigeria, and the government’s response, exemplifies the complexities of counterterrorism and religious dynamics in Africa’s most populous nation, which is critical to regional stability and U.S. strategic interests. Newsweek has spoken to several Nigerian NGOs about the situation in the country, as reported here. What To Know Bwala said Nigeria “recognizes the passion and the zeal that President Donald Trump has demonstrated wanting to help Nigeria.” “And we welcome that, as long as that respects our territorial integrity,” he told South Africa’s SABC News. “And what we welcome, in this collaboration is, we know the Americans know that we need high-tech fighter jets, we need high-tech equipment, we need high-tech machinery for the purposes of curtailing and destroying this Boko Haram.” “But the idea of coming militarily into our soil would violate international order, would violate international convention,” he said. “It would not be good because Nigeria is not a hostile country, Nigeria is a partner with the American government in many respects.” He continued: “Nigeria is not a hostile country where America needs to come and intervene in our internal affairs, however, we acknowledge that there is a case of killing in Nigeria and it is concerning.” “The difference is that we object to the notion that the killing is targeted at a religion,” he added. “Because the whole idea of a Christian genocide is a hoax.” Bwala went on to say that he believes Trump will be convinced that there is no Christian genocide because he has “always been one that is open to dialogue.” “His approach is first to push from an aggressive point of view so he can have a sit-down, so we know that he will be convinced,” he said. Trump said last week that he plans to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” for violations of religious freedom, something several American politicians have been calling for recently, and Nigeria’s government has previously spoken out again. “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on the weekend. This violence in Nigeria, where the population is split between Christians and Muslims almost evenly, is being carried out by Islamic jihadist groups, including Fulani militants, Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), according to Christian advocacy group Open Doors and several other NGOs. What People Are Saying Bwala said in a post on X: “While we appreciate President Trump’s concern for Nigeria, any talk of military intervention is both unfounded and unacceptable. “Nigeria is a partner nation to the U.S., not a hostile one. The 'Christian genocide' narrative is a misrepresentation of our complex security reality, which affects citizens of all faiths. We remain committed to solving our challenges through lawful, peaceful, and collaborative means, not external interference.” Senator Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican who has long been advocating for Nigeria’s redesignation, said in a statement on Friday: "I am deeply gratified to President Trump for making this determination. I have fought for years to counter the slaughter and persecution of Christians in Nigeria, and this year introduced legislation that will lock in the designation made today. Today’s designation is a critical step in holding accountable and changing the behavior of Nigerian officials who have facilitated and created an environment conducive to the outrages in Nigeria." What Happens Next Nigeria’s government has expressed willingness to expand cooperation with the U.S. on counterterrorism, provided respect for national sovereignty is maintained. At this point, it is unclear whether Trump will follow through on his threat of military involvement, and what actions, if any, will be carried out inside the African nation.
