A swift and decisive action unfolded late Thursday, as the former president announced a targeted military operation against ISIS forces operating within Nigeria. The announcement, delivered through a direct post, described the strike as “powerful and deadly,” a response to escalating violence against Christian communities.
For weeks, the former president had publicly condemned the attacks, highlighting the severe persecution faced by Christians in the region. He asserted the killings had reached levels unseen in decades, even centuries, fueling calls for intervention and a firm response to the escalating crisis.
The operation followed a prior directive issued last month, instructing the Pentagon to prepare for potential military engagement in Nigeria. This move signaled a growing concern within the administration regarding the safety and security of religious minorities in the West African nation.
Accompanying the planned military considerations, the State Department implemented visa restrictions targeting Nigerians implicated in the violence and mass killings of Christians. This policy aimed to hold individuals accountable for contributing to the instability and persecution within the country.
The United States had recently formally designated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act. This designation underscored the gravity of the situation and the administration’s commitment to addressing the systemic religious persecution occurring there.
