Trump Declares Nigeria a "Nation of Concern".

There has always been trouble between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. Attacks have regularly occurred between the two communities. However, of late, the number of Christians dying, according to some sources, is becoming disproportionate. Donald Trump has raised the issue of what is happening to Christians in the African country.

Mr. Trump says he is adding Nigeria to a list of other countries of "particular concern". Namely, Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. In these nations, religious freedom is restricted, and the participants in faith are persecuted in one manner or another. In Trump's case, when he talks about Nigeria, he is referring to Christians. Boko Haram are a notable terror group in Nigeria. An Islamic terror group responsible for heinous acts against Christians, other Muslims who do not share their ideology, and anyone else they do not think fits their idea of Khalifate. Their most famous or infamous act was kidnapping 14 schoolgirls in 2014. There was a massive campaign around the world to get these girls home from the clutches of this evil organisation. Boko Haram have been battling Nigerian authorities for years to create, as is the goal of most of these Al Qaeda/Islamic State offshoots, an Islamic State.

It seems lately that there might be collusion between terrorists and the Nigerian government in attacking Christians. Nigeria, according to a Nigerian Christian friend of mine, has brought out a law that to have a firearm, you must have a licence. If not, you must hand your weapon over to the authorities. However, this law is supposed to apply to everyone. Conversely, it seems to apply largely to Christians, making them defenceless against Muslim attacks. The Head of Government in Nigeria is Muslim, hence the suspicion of collusion between groups like Boko Haram and the government. So this law appears to be engineered by the powers that be in Nigeria to make Christians unable to defend themselves.

Trump posted on Truth Social that "thousands of Christians are being killed", and he had asked his operatives to investigate the situation in Nigeria and report back to him. Many are hoping Mr. Trump might intervene in one way or another, especially in the Nigerian Christian diaspora around the world. I doubt Trump will launch military action; his forces right now are off the coast of Venezuela. One thing open to Mr. Trump is to impose sanctions. These sanctions would be intended to hit at the heart of the Nigerian government. To hit them where it hurts, like freezing Nigerian assets abroad, a ban on Nigerian officials travelling abroad, and an arms embargo. Humanitarian aid would still flow into the country, that's if some of it isn't siphoned off by the government or terrorists or both.

According to Trump, although he did not cite his source for this, 3,100 Christians have perished. Mr. Trump said, "We stand ready and willing to save our Great Christian population around the world". Nigeria insists that Christians are not suffering and disputes Trump's ideas. Noting Nigeria as a "nation of concern" is one step away from Trump imposing sanctions. Trump, once he has received this report on Nigeria, may then decide whether to impose sanctions on this already impoverished, corrupt, basket case of a nation. There are stable African nations that do not suffer from the blight of corruption, dictatorship, civil war, starvation and poverty like Botswana. Bukhino Faso has a military leader who seems to be standing up for his people. However, whether this young army officer, Tirore, is the Saviour of His people will remain to be seen. South Africa promised much after Mandela became president for black, white, and all other South Africans. Sadly, this country has also become a basket case of corruption, inequality, and, to all intents and purposes, is a failed state.

Of course, as with the Middle East, another part of the world that seems in constant turmoil, colonialism has played its part. So what happens to Nigeria both externally and internally remains to be seen.