Trump administration expands efforts to stop Christian violence in Nigeria with aid threat

President Donald Trump's administration is picking up steam in addressing violence against Christians in Nigeria this week after Trump lashed out at the nation's administration for having done nothing to stop the killings I m really angry about it the president narrated Fox News Radio on Friday What s happening in Nigeria is a disgrace War Secretary Pete Hegseth met with Nigerian National Safeguard Adviser Nuhu Ribadu last week amid threats from Trump to cut off aid to Nigeria if it continues to allow the killing of Christians Nigerian leaders have pushed back on the accusation Hegseth emphasized the need for Nigeria to demonstrate commitment and take both urgent and enduring action to stop violence against Christians and conveyed the Department s desire to work by with and through Nigeria to deter and degrade terrorists that threaten the United States the Pentagon commented in a message TRUMP THREATENS TO HALT ALL US AID CONDUCT 'VICIOUS' MILITARY ATTACK IN NIGERIA OVER CHRISTIAN PERSECUTIONJonathan Pratt who leads the State Department s Bureau of African Affairs also testified before Congress on Thursday and mentioned any Pentagon involvement would be part of a broader strategy This would span from safeguard to policing to economic he explained We want to look at all of these tools and have a comprehensive strategy to get the best conclusion practicable GUNMEN ATTACK CHURCH IN NIGERIA KILLING TWO AND KIDNAPPING OTHERSRecent incidents in Nigeria have included the mass abduction of over children and teachers from a Catholic school on Friday as well as a shooting at another church that left two people dead The gunmen also abducted several congregants from the church The primary threat comes from the Islamist radical group Boko Haram as well as its splinter Islamic State of West Africa Province The groups target primarily Christians though Muslims of other sects also face attacks On Tuesday U S Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz held an event highlighting the ongoing violence in Nigeria During the event Waltz called the killings of Christians in Nigeria a genocide wearing the mask of chaos He was joined by rap superstar Nicki Minaj who called for religious freedom for all Fox News' Rachel Wolf and The Associated Press contributed to this overview