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By Jordan King
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An attack in Nigeria by suspected jihadi terrorists that killed at least 162 people has been condemned as "horrific" by President Donald Trump’s administration in a statement to Newsweek.
The gunmen struck on Tuesday in one of the country’s deadliest attacks in recent months, following the United States' strikes against the Islamic State there at Christmas.
The U.S. State Department also told Newsweek that it expressed its "deepest condolences to the families of those affected by this senseless violence" and welcomed Nigerian President BolaTinubu’s decision to deploy an army battalion in response.
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The Context
The condemnation underscores Washington’s attention on the security situation in Nigeria.
Trump’s administration believes the terrorist violence in the West African country includes the persecution of Christians, with Trump explicitly accusing the Nigerian government of "allowing the killing of Christians" in a Truth Social post last November.
The Nigerian government has repeatedly denied these characterizations, insisting that people of all religions are indiscriminately victims of terrorist groups operating there.
But both governments said they worked together on the Christmas strikes further cooperation between the countries seems to have continued, with the Nigerian government confirming to Newsweek that a "small" American military unit has arrived in Nigeria to help with counterterrorism efforts.
What To Know
At least 162 people were killed on Tuesday in attacks on the Muslim-majority villages of Woro and Nuku in Kwara state, Nigerian lawmaker Mohammed Omar Bio told The Associated Press.
Residents told Reuters that the attackers were jihadis who had long been preaching to locals, urging them to adopt Sharia rule. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks yet.
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Nigerian President Tinubu ‘s office said on Thursday that an army battalion has been deployed in the Kaiama district, condemning the attack as "cowardly and barbaric," according to Reuters.
The U.S. State Department told Newsweek that it "welcomes" Tinubu’s "order to deploy security forces to protect villages in the area and his directive to federal and state officials to provide aid to the community and bring the perpetrators of this atrocity to justice."
Amnesty International Nigeria labeled the day "Nigeria’s Bloody Tuesday," reporting at least two more attacks on Doma Tafoki, in Katsina State, and Abande, in Benue State.
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What People Are Saying
The U.S. Mission Nigeria said in a post on X: "The United States condemns the horrific attack in Kwara state in Nigeria, which claimed the lives of more than 160 people, with the death toll still unconfirmed and many still unaccounted for. We express our deepest condolences to the families of those affected by this senseless violence."
Alkasim Abdulkadir, special assistant to Nigeria's minister of foreign affairs, previously told Newsweek: "Terrorists in Nigeria target anyone who stands in their way, Christian or Muslim. It is inaccurate to claim or insist that ISWAP/Boko Haram targets Christians only. The evidence suggests otherwise, it shows they attack both Christian and Muslim communities alike. Their objective is to intimidate the entire population and undermine Nigeria's constitutional order."
What Happens Next
Nigerian authorities will continue security operations in and around Kaiama.
U.S.-Nigeria cooperation will proceed through training and intelligence support by the small U.S. team already in-country, as confirmed by Newsweek. More cooperation between the two countries is likely but the details are still unclear.
Debate over how to characterize violence in Nigeria will continue.
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