In a unanimous decision earlier this week, both Democratic and Republican members of the United States Congress set aside party differences to pass a resolution authorizing President Donald J. Trump’s proposed military intervention in Nigeria. The measure received overwhelming support, with 285 votes cast in favour out of 383 during a special joint session.
The resolution empowers the President to deploy targeted military force against armed groups accused of perpetrating widespread attacks on Christian communities across northern and central Nigeria.
President Trump, who has repeatedly described the violence as “nothing short of genocide against Christians,” welcomed the vote. In a message posted on Truth Social, he stated: “HUGE WIN! Congress just voted 285–98 to let us STOP the slaughter of innocent Christians in Nigeria. The military is ready. Very soon, justice will be done – fast and hard. Thank you to every Patriot who stood with us!”
The emergency measure, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Protection and Counter-Terrorism Act of 2025, was expedited through both the House and Senate following three weeks of classified briefings. It passed with strong bipartisan backing—232 Republicans and 53 Democrats—reflecting growing concern in Washington over years of mass killings, kidnappings, and the destruction of villages that Nigerian authorities have struggled to contain.
According to the resolution, jihadist groups such as Boko Haram, along with heavily armed Fulani militia elements, have conducted lethal raids across the Middle Belt and northern regions for more than a decade. Monitoring organizations, including Open Doors, continue to rank Nigeria as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Christians, with thousands reportedly killed each year.
The measure also highlights steps already taken unilaterally by President Trump:
- On October 31, he designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for severe violations of religious freedom.
- Over $1 billion in U.S. aid has been frozen pending “tangible improvement” in security conditions.
- Earlier this month, the Pentagon was instructed to prepare contingency plans for “rapid and decisive” military action.
- The Nigerian government in Abuja criticized the congressional vote as an excessive intrusion, insisting that the security situation affects citizens of all faiths and remains a domestic issue.
- Evangelical leaders and human-rights advocates in the United States have praised the decision as overdue.
- Several African and European governments have expressed concern that unilateral U.S. military intervention could destabilize the wider West African region.
Under U.S. constitutional procedure, the President now has ten days to sign the resolution into law. Once enacted, U.S. military operations could begin immediately. Most analysts expect precision airstrikes and potential special-forces missions rather than a large-scale ground deployment.
For many persecuted Christians in Nigeria, the congressional vote represents a rare moment of hope. For the White House, it signals President Trump’s determination to uphold his campaign pledge: that when Christians face violent persecution anywhere in the world, the United States will no longer stand by in silence.
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