US Ready to Deepen Cooperation With Nigeria to Stem Attacks on Christians

Washington has weighed possible military engagement and economic sanctions to pressure Nigeria to do more to protect its Christian population.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth arrives on Capitol Hill for a secure briefing with lawmakers and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington on Nov. 5, 2025. Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images

Nigeria said the United States is ready to help it combat what President Donald Trump has said are large-scale killings of Christians in the West African nation by Islamist militants.

The United States is prepared to expand security cooperation, including intelligence sharing and fast-tracking requests for defense equipment, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s office said in a statement on Nov. 24.