US Plans to Protect Nigerian Christians: Sanctions, Pentagon Engagement on the Table

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The United States is developing a comprehensive plan to safeguard Christian communities in Nigeria, with potential measures including economic sanctions and Pentagon engagement on counterterrorism. A senior State Department official revealed the plan's details to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday. According to the official, the goal is to encourage the Nigerian government to improve its protection of Christian communities and uphold religious freedom. Nigeria has been under scrutiny from the Trump administration, which had threatened military action in response to the treatment of Christians in the country. However, Nigeria's government maintains that the situation is complex and that efforts are being made to safeguard religious freedom. The plan will also examine the security provided to the Nigerian government and how it deploys its assets, as well as the sharing of information and intelligence. This comes after President Trump added Nigeria to the list of 'Countries of Particular Concern' in October for violating religious freedom. A Nigerian delegation is set to meet with US officials in Washington, including Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Pentagon officials. The meeting aims to address concerns and find a resolution to the situation. Despite the challenges, human rights experts argue that more Muslims have been killed by Boko Haram than Christians. The extremist Islamist group has terrorized northeastern Nigeria for over 15 years, killing tens of thousands of people. The US is committed to working with Nigeria to address the complex issues and ensure the protection of all religious communities. As part of this effort, the State Department is planning engagement on the ground to convey the importance of improving the situation.