It was historic as the United States Congress backed President Donald Trump’s call for possible military action against terrorists in Nigeria.
During a special joint session late Friday night, the 285 out of 383 members overwhelmingly voted in favour of the action.
The resolution gives the President authority to use targeted military force against armed groups accused of carrying out widespread attacks on Christian communities in Northern and central Nigeria.
President Trump, who has described the violence as “nothing short of genocide against Christians,” immediately welcomed the result, posting on Truth Social: “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!”
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The emergency resolution, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Protection and Counter-Terrorism Act of 2025, was fast-tracked through both the House and Senate after three weeks of intense closed-door briefings.
It passed with strong bipartisan support 232 Republicans and 53 Democrats voted yes reflecting growing frustration in Washington over years of reported mass killings, abductions and village burnings that the Nigerian authorities have been unable to stop.
The President has 10 days to sign the resolution into law. Once signed, the U.S. military can begin operations – most analysts expect precision airstrikes and possible special forces raids rather than a large ground invasion.
For more than a decade, jihadist groups such as Boko Haram and heavily armed Fulani militia herdsmen, ISIS, and ISWAP have carried out deadly raids across Nigeria’s Middle Belt and northern states.
Reports from organizations like Open Doors consistently rank Nigeria as one of the world’s most dangerous countries for Christians, documenting thousands of deaths annually.
President Trump had already taken unilateral steps:
On 31 October, he officially designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for severe violations of religious freedom.
All U.S. aid (over $1 billion a year) was frozen until “tangible improvement” is seen.
Earlier this month, he ordered the Pentagon to draw up contingency plans for “rapid and decisive” action.
In Abuja, President Bola Tinubu’s government called the vote “a regrettable overreach” and insisted the situation is an internal security matter affecting Nigerians of all faiths.
On November 26, Tinubu declared state of emergency on insecurity.
Evangelical leaders and human-rights campaigners in the United States praised the move as long overdue.
Several African and European governments expressed concern that unilateral U.S. military action could destabilise the entire West African region.
Nigeria’s government criticised the resolution as “a regrettable overreach,” insisting the unrest affects all citizens regardless of faith and remains an internal issue.
