US Draws Up Military Intervention Plans For Nigeria

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Fresh reporting suggests the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) has drafted contingency plans outlining “light, medium and heavy” intervention options for Nigeria, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim that Christians in Nigeria are being killed en masse and that the country faces an “existential threat.”

In a video posted on the White House’s official account, Trump said:

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands and thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”
He went on to state that he had invoked a legal designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” and directed the U.S. military to “prepare a plan” of action.

Draft Intervention Options

According to U.S. defence officials cited in multiple reports:

• Light Option: Support Nigerian security forces in “partner-enabled operations” targeting insurgent groups, without deploying large U.S. forces.

• Medium Option: Drone strikes on militant camps, convoys or bases in northern Nigeria, leveraging U.S. surveillance and strike assets.

• Heavy Option: Deployment of an aircraft carrier group to the Gulf of Guinea, plus fighters and long-range bombers to conduct deeper strikes inside Nigeria.

While these options are reportedly in the draft phase, U.S. military sources indicate that executing the heavier measures would face major logistical and sovereignty hurdles. AFRICOM currently lacks a large nearby base in the region after withdrawing forces from Niger, and Nigeria has emphasised that any foreign action must respect its territorial integrity.

Nigerian Government Response and Context

The Nigerian government has publicly welcomed U.S. support against Islamist insurgents, but has stressed the importance of safeguarding national sovereignty and working in partnership rather than under external command. Analysts note that the draft options come at a moment when Nigeria’s security environment is deeply complex, with overlapping insurgencies, communal violence, and governance challenges.

In a background analysis for Stars & Stripes, one defence journalist wrote that while the draft plans reflect “serious military thinking,” they also underscore the difficulties of intervening in a country the size of Nigeria without a major U.S. footprint nearby.

What You Should Know

• The U.S. designates a country a “country of particular concern” (CPC) when it deems gross violations of religious freedom have occurred.

• AFRICOM publicly states that it “does not discuss current or future posturing of forces, nor internal processes that drive planning or operations.”

• Nigeria remains a critical U.S. security partner in West Africa, but the government has previously resisted suggestions of large or permanent U.S. military bases on its soil.

Analysis

While Trump’s statements and the existence of draft plans raise concern, there is no official confirmation that U.S. troops are currently being readied for Nigeria. Past AFRICOM statements have denied troop alert preparations for Nigeria. The draft options illustrate the potential range of U.S. military responses — from limited partner-enabled operations to full strike capability — but implementation would hinge on political will, legal authority, bilateral agreement with Nigeria, and regional logistics.

For Nigeria, the situation marks a diplomatic and security challenge: how to respond to U.S. pressure without compromising sovereignty, while also addressing the underlying security crises that sparked the conversation in the first place.