The United States military has reportedly drawn up three contingency plans for possible intervention in Nigeria, following President Donald Trump’s recent claims that Christians in Nigeria are facing “genocide” and his vow to “take care of the terrorists.”
According to a report credited to The New York Times, Trump instructed the Pentagon to prepare options after alleging that thousands of Christians were being killed by “radical Islamist” groups in Nigeria.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was said to have immediately ordered the Africa Command (AFRICOM) to submit plans. AFRICOM, based in Stuttgart, Germany, subsequently forwarded three escalating options — tagged light, medium and heavy — to Washington. The new AFRICOM commander, Gen. Dagvin R.M. Anderson, is expected to visit Nigeria next month.
Light Option
The light approach involves “partner-enabled operations,” where U.S. military and diplomatic teams would support Nigerian forces against Boko Haram and other insurgents in the north. However, complications include ethnic, religious and land-use conflicts in the region, as well as USAID’s office closure in Abuja, which limits civilian coordination.
Medium Option
This plan focuses on targeted drone strikes on militant camps and convoys in northern Nigeria.
However, operational challenges exist as the U.S. recently withdrew from drone bases in Agadez and Niamey, Niger, now reportedly occupied by Russian forces. The U.S. may need to fly drones from southern Europe or Djibouti — a longer distance — unless neighbouring African nations permit temporary basing, a move that could trigger diplomatic friction with Nigeria.
Nigeria has stated it welcomes U.S. support but insists its sovereignty must be respected.
Heavy Option
The most aggressive plan would entail deploying a U.S. aircraft carrier group to the Gulf of Guinea, with fighter jets and long-range bombers conducting strikes deep inside Nigerian territory. Officials reportedly consider this option low priority due to current U.S. deployments in the Pacific, Middle East and Caribbean.
Analysts Warn Against Intervention
Military analysts quoted in the report caution that any major U.S. campaign similar to Iraq or Afghanistan would likely fail and provoke backlash.
“It would be a fiasco,” retired U.S. Major General Paul Eaton said, describing any large-scale strike effort as “pounding a pillow” — dramatic but ineffective.
Experts note that Boko Haram and ISWAP attack both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, and previous U.S. cooperation has focused on intelligence sharing rather than direct military action.
While Trump’s social-media rhetoric has intensified, analysts say there is little public appetite in the U.S. for another foreign military campaign.
Source: The New York Times
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