US President, Donald Trump, has renewed his sharp criticism of the Nigerian government, accusing it of failing to stop widespread killings of Christians and describing the situation as nothing short of “genocide.”

Trump made the remarks during a conservative radio interview on Friday, comments later replayed by Fox News.

He alleged that extremist groups were killing Christians “by the thousands” and claimed the Nigerian authorities were not doing enough to confront the violence.

The president referenced his administration’s previous decision to list Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for alleged religious persecution, warning that Washington could escalate its response if conditions do not improve.

“Nigeria is a disgrace. The whole thing is a disgrace,” Trump said during the programme.

“They’re killing people by the thousands. It’s a genocide, and I’m really angry about it.”

He also suggested that the United States may cut off financial assistance to Nigeria.

“We give a lot of subsidies to Nigeria. We’re going to end up stopping,” he added.

Trump went further, repeating an earlier threat that the US could pursue military action against Islamist militant groups if Nigeria “does not do more” to safeguard Christian communities.

On Friday, DAILY GAZETTE reported that the United States War Department said it was already working closely with Nigerian officials to address what it labelled “jihadists terrorists” attacks on Christians.

In a message posted on X, the US Secretary of the War Department said:

“Yesterday, I met with Nigeria’s National Security Advisor and his team to discuss the horrific violence against Christians in their country.”

“Under @POTUS leadership, DOW is working aggressively with Nigeria to end the persecution of Christians by jihadist terrorists,” he posted on Friday.

The announcement followed a Wednesday meeting in Washington, D.C., between Congressman Riley M. Moore and a high-level Nigerian delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

Members of the delegation included Bianca Ojukwu, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun; Attorney General of the Federation Chief Lateef Olasunkami Fagbemi, SAN; Chief of Defence Staff General Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede; Chief of Defence Intelligence Lt. Gen. EAP Undiendeye; Special Adviser to ONSA Idayat Hassan; Ambassador Ibrahim Babani, Director of Foreign Relations at ONSA; Acting Chargé d’Affaires Ambassador Nuru Biu; and Paul Alabi of the Embassy’s Political and Economic Section.

According to the War Department’s statement, the engagement “allowed for a frank, honest, and productive discussion about the ongoing persecution of Christians and ongoing terrorist threats in Nigeria and opportunities for strengthened cooperation and coordination between the United States and Nigeria to end the bloodshed.”

It also noted that the Nigerian delegation outlined their concerns regarding counterterrorism efforts, the protection of vulnerable groups, and broader security challenges across the country.

The release said Congressman Moore “clearly stated that the United States stands ready to coordinate and cooperate with Nigeria,” and emphasised that “as President Trump made abundantly clear, the United States will not tolerate continued violence against Christians or other forms of religious persecution.”

It added pointedly that “President Trump does not make idle threats.”

The statement further noted that Moore “will continue monitoring new developments and pushing the Nigerian government to accept the open hand of cooperation to stop the ongoing persecution and violence against Christians and combat the threat terrorist groups pose to the Nigerian population.”

Moore also issued his own statement after the meeting.

“Today, I had a frank, honest, and productive discussion with senior members of the Nigerian government regarding the horrific violence and persecution Christians face and the ongoing threat terrorism poses across Nigeria,” he said.

A UK court on Friday sentenced former Member of the European Parliament (MEP) and ex-Welsh leader of the Reform UK party, Nathan Gill, to 10 years and six months in prison for accepting bribes to deliver pro-Russia speeches in the European Parliament.

Gill had pleaded guilty in September at London’s Old Bailey to receiving thousands of euros from Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn in exchange for making scripted statements and television appearances that criticized Ukraine’s democracy and President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“You abused a position of significant authority and trust,” Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said, adding that Gill’s actions “fundamentally compromised the integrity of a supranational legislative body.”

The judge noted that Gill accepted payments from foreign nationals, used scripted materials as his own, and involved other MEPs in the scheme.

Gill served as an MEP from 2014 to 2020 with the Eurosceptic UKIP party, led by current Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

He also briefly led Reform UK Wales from March to May 2021 and was a member of the Welsh parliament, the Senedd, from 2016 to 2017.

He pled guilty to eight counts of accepting bribes between December 2018 and July 2019.

Voloshyn, the Ukrainian politician involved, was later sanctioned by the United States and indicted for treason in Ukraine.

Police seized Gill’s phone in September 2021 while he was travelling to Russia for a scientific conference.

Investigators discovered WhatsApp messages from September 2018 in which Gill agreed to make introductions in the European Parliament and attempted to influence other MEPs.

Nigel Farage, whose Reform UK party is currently polling strongly in Britain, stated he was unaware of Gill’s actions.

Gill is no longer a member of Reform UK, though the case could affect Farage politically, particularly as he seeks to gain control in the Welsh parliament in next May’s local elections.

The party has recently faced criticism, including the suspension of its only member in the Welsh parliament for using a racial slur.

In what analysts describe as one of Washington’s most direct messages to Abuja in recent years, U.S Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has delivered a stern warning to the Nigerian government, demanding urgent, sustained action to end violence against Christians across the country.

The warning was issued on November 20 during a high-level meeting at the Pentagon with Nigeria’s delegation led by National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

According to information published on official U.S. government platforms, the discussions centered on Nigeria’s worsening religiously motivated attacks and the rising death toll in Christian communities.

A readout released by Sean Parnell, Assistant to the Secretary of War for Public Affairs, made it clear that Washington now expects measurable progress, not promises.

Parnell stated that Hegseth used the closed-door meeting to demand “concrete steps” from Nigeria to halt killings, kidnappings, and terror incidents targeting Christian populations.

He emphasized that the United States is elevating the matter to the top of its Africa security priorities.

Using language far more forceful than typical diplomatic communications, Hegseth insisted Nigeria must “demonstrate commitment” to protecting Christians and warned that the U.S expects immediate improvements.

He added that the United States remains ready to work “by, with, and through” Nigeria to combat jihadist groups and extremist networks destabilizing West Africa and posing threats to American interests.

Security experts say the meeting marks a shift in U.S, Nigeria relations, from broad cooperation to performance-based expectations, especially on issues tied to religious persecution.

Ribadu’s visit comes as international pressure mounts on the Nigerian government from rights groups, faith organizations, and members of the U.S Congress, who accuse Nigeria of failing to adequately address years of targeted killings in the Middle Belt, Northwest, and Northeast.

Some analysts suggest that the Trump administration’s new posture, blunt, direct, and public, signals a willingness to tie future security cooperation to Nigeria’s actions on religiously targeted violence.