Trump Admits Muslims Also Victims of Killings in Nigeria, Maintains Christians Most Affected

For the first time since intensifying his rhetoric on insecurity in Nigeria, United States President Donald Trump has publicly acknowledged that Muslims are also victims of killings in the country, even as he maintained his long-held position that Christians bear the brunt of the violence.

Speaking in an interview with the New York Times, Trump appeared to soften his earlier framing of Nigeria’s security crisis as one largely defined by religious persecution against Christians alone. According to the newspaper, the US President conceded that no single faith group is exclusively targeted, though he insisted that Christians remain the primary victims.

“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” Trump was quoted as saying.

Shift in Tone, Not in Emphasis

Akahi News gathered that Trump’s remarks mark a subtle but notable shift in tone, coming weeks after he repeatedly warned that Christianity faces what he described as an “existential threat” in Nigeria. Despite the admission that Muslims are also affected, Trump continued to frame the violence largely through a religious lens.

When asked about statements previously made by his own Africa adviser — who reportedly said that Islamic State and Boko Haram militants have killed more Muslims than Christians — Trump reiterated his position.

“I think that Muslims are being killed also in Nigeria. But it’s mostly Christians,” he responded, according to the interview.

Security experts and Nigerian authorities have long argued that the country’s complex violence — involving insurgency, banditry, farmer-herder clashes and criminal kidnappings — cuts across religious and ethnic lines, affecting communities regardless of faith.

Christmas Day Attacks and Military Threats

Trump also referenced attacks carried out on Christmas Day against what he described as terror targets in Nigeria, warning that the United States could carry out further military strikes if the killings persist.

“I’d love to make it a one-time strike … But if they continue to kill Christians, it will be a many-time strike,” Trump was quoted as saying.

Akahi News learnt that these comments have reignited concerns within diplomatic and policy circles about potential foreign military intervention in Nigeria, a sovereign nation already grappling with multiple internal security challenges.

While the US has previously conducted counter-terrorism operations in parts of Africa, Nigerian officials have consistently emphasised cooperation, intelligence sharing and capacity building over direct military action.

Nigeria’s Redesignation and Diplomatic Pushback

In late October, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, accusing the Federal Government of failing to adequately protect Christian communities. The decision drew sharp reactions in Abuja, with officials describing it as an oversimplification of a deeply rooted security crisis.

Following the designation, the Federal Government dispatched a high-powered delegation to Washington to brief US authorities on the realities on ground, stressing that victims of violence in Nigeria include Christians, Muslims and adherents of other faiths.

Akahi News gathered that after the diplomatic engagement, senior American officials also visited Nigeria to obtain first-hand assessments of the security situation and engage directly with government officials, community leaders and security agencies.

A Complex Crisis Beyond Religion

Analysts say Trump’s partial acknowledgment that Muslims are also victims reflects growing pressure to recognise the complexity of Nigeria’s insecurity. Insurgent groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province have historically targeted Muslim communities that oppose their ideology, alongside churches, Christian villages and state institutions.

Despite Trump’s insistence on religious targeting, Nigerian authorities continue to argue that poverty, governance challenges, arms proliferation and climate-driven conflicts play significant roles in fuelling the violence.

As international attention remains fixed on Nigeria, Akahi News gathered that stakeholders are urging global partners to adopt a more nuanced understanding of the crisis — one that supports long-term stability rather than inflaming religious divisions.

By Joseph Iyaji | Akahi News
Joseph Iyaji is a journalist, educator, and founder of Akahi G. International, Akahi Tutors, and Akahi News. Read more about him here.
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