A member of the United States House of Representatives, Sara Jacobs, has criticised former President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy American troops to Nigeria, describing it as reckless and potentially unlawful.
Jacobs spoke on Thursday during a congressional hearing addressing allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria, a narrative that reportedly influenced Trump’s decision to redesignate the country as a “country of particular concern.”
Following the redesignation, Trump threatened that US forces would intervene “guns-a-blazing” to eliminate Islamic extremists allegedly behind attacks on Christians.
Acknowledging Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges, Jacobs cautioned against framing the violence solely in religious terms. “Distorting what’s happening into a solely religious narrative erases the real drivers of violence and makes it harder to implement effective solutions,” she said.
“It can also fuel violence against the very groups the administration claims it wants to protect.”
The lawmaker warned that Trump’s rhetoric had already triggered increased tensions between Christian and Muslim communities in Nigeria.
“President Trump’s threat is reckless, and any unilateral military action in Nigeria would be illegal. Congress has not authorised force in Nigeria to protect Christians, and any action without Nigeria’s consent violates international law,” Jacobs added.
She further noted that a military-led approach could result in more civilian casualties and impunity, potentially worsening violent extremism in the country.
Jacobs urged the US government to pursue diplomatic measures and support Nigerian institutions through reforms, conflict prevention programmes, and targeted interventions rather than relying on force.
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