A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has vowed to investigate allegations of a “genocide against Christians” in Nigeria, pledging to provide President Donald Trump with a “full menu of options” to address the situation.
Speaking during an interview with Fox News, Moore said his team would immediately begin inquiries into the reports and advise President Trump on potential U.S. responses.
“We are going to get right to work and get to the bottom of what’s happening and give President Trump a full menu of options that we can use to try to stop these killings,” Moore stated.
His remarks followed President Trump’s recent comments suggesting that the U.S. might consider military intervention in Nigeria. Trump had earlier announced the redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious persecution, saying Christianity in Nigeria faced an “existential threat.”
“Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. “Nigeria is now a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’ — but that is the least of it.”
Trump further hinted that the U.S. military could take action “guns blazing” if the Nigerian government failed to curb the reported killings, directing the Department of War to “prepare for possible action.”
When asked by reporters aboard Air Force One if the United States might deploy troops or conduct airstrikes, Trump responded:
“Could be. I envisage a lot of things. They’re killing record numbers of Christians in Nigeria … We’re not going to allow that to happen.
The Nigerian government has strongly denied the accusations. President Bola Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria remains committed to protecting freedom of religion as guaranteed by its constitution.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said in a statement.
He noted that his administration has continued active engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders since taking office in 2023, stressing that ongoing security challenges are being addressed without bias toward any faith.
“The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” Tinubu added. “Our government remains committed to safeguarding freedom of belief and promoting peaceful coexistence.”
The President reiterated that religious tolerance remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s identity and said his administration will continue to collaborate with the United States and other international partners to protect communities of all faiths.
“Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not condone it in any form,” he affirmed.
The controversy follows renewed attention from the Trump administration on alleged religious persecution in Africa. While U.S. officials claim to be investigating reports of violence targeting Christian communities, Nigerian authorities maintain that ongoing conflicts are primarily driven by criminal and regional factors rather than religion
