United States considers sanctions against Nigeria, Pentagon joins plan to protect Christians

(Patria) - The United States is considering actions such as sanctions and Pentagon engagement in counterterrorism as part of a plan to force the Nigerian government to better protect Christian communities and religious freedoms, a senior State Department official said, Reuters reported.

Nigeria is under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened military action in early November over the treatment of Christians in the country. Nigeria says claims that Christians face persecution misrepresent a complex security situation and do not take into account efforts to protect religious freedom.

"The Trump administration is developing a plan to encourage and compel the Nigerian government to better protect Christian communities and improve religious freedoms," said Jonathan Pratt, the official who leads the State Department's Bureau of African Affairs, before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"This plan will consider engagement by the U.S. State and Treasury departments regarding sanctions, as well as possible engagement by the Department of War in counterterrorism and other efforts to protect religious communities."

He added that Washington is primarily considering the security provided to the Nigerian government and how it allocates resources, as well as information and intelligence sharing.

In October, Trump again added Nigeria to the list of "Country of Particular Concern" for countries the U.S. claims have violated religious freedoms. He also said he had asked the Department of Defense to prepare for possible "swift" military action in Nigeria if the West African nation does not curb the killings of Christians, and said he was immediately halting all aid to Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and largest oil producer.

Nigeria, home to 200 ethnic groups practicing Christianity, Islam and traditional religions, has a long history of peaceful coexistence. However, there have also been outbreaks of inter-group violence, often exacerbated by ethnic divisions or conflicts over scarce resources.

The extremist Islamist armed group Boko Haram has also terrorized northeastern Nigeria, with the insurgency killing tens of thousands of people over the past fifteen years. Human rights experts have said Boko Haram has killed more Muslims than Christians.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu sent his national security adviser to Washington to meet with Trump administration officials and U.S. lawmakers. The Nigerian delegation, which arrived on Wednesday, also includes the country's defense chief, the head of defense intelligence, and the police chief.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine plan to meet with the Nigerian national security adviser, while Pratt earlier said the delegation would meet with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.

Pratt said on Thursday he does not believe jihadists have infiltrated the Nigerian government.
Jacob McGee, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, said designating Nigeria as a country of particular concern was an important step that got the attention of that country's government, but much more needs to be done.

"We plan engagement on the ground, both through our embassies there and through other travel, to ensure Nigerians hear our very important message that they must do better," he said.