Russia Explains Trump’s Threat to Invade Nigeria: It’s All About Oil

U.S. President Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to prepare for a potential invasion of Nigeria, demanding “fast, harsh, and merciless” measures against Islamic terrorist groups operating in the country. He also warned that Washington could suspend all American aid to Nigeria.

Photo: AMISOM joins Nigeria in celebrating 61 years of Independence by AMISOM Public Information, https://creativecommons.org/public-domain/pdm/

People of Nigeria

“If the Nigerian government continues to allow Christians to be killed, the United States may very well enter this now-disgraced nation fully armed to completely destroy the Islamic terrorists committing these horrific atrocities,”

Trump declared, urging the Nigerian authorities to “act quickly.”

Shortly afterward, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth commented on the president’s statement, sharing a screenshot of Trump’s post from Truth Social and confirming that the Pentagon is indeed “preparing for action.”

“The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria—or anywhere—must stop immediately. Either the Nigerian government protects its Christians, or we will destroy the Islamic terrorists committing these monstrous acts,”

Hegseth said.

Russian Journalists Offer Their Explanation

Russian military journalists have offered their own interpretations of Trump’s threat to invade Nigeria. According to war correspondent Yury Kotenok, Trump’s concern for Christians is merely a formal pretext. He noted that attacks on Christians have been occurring in Nigeria for decades.

“Nigeria has large oil reserves. Not as vast as Venezuela or Iraq, but significant enough by regional standards. And as long as there’s oil, the U.S. will always find a reason to intervene,”

Kotenok wrote on his Telegram channel.

Another well-known correspondent, Alexander Sladkov, agreed, suggesting that Trump’s real motivation is control over Nigeria’s energy resources. He also recalled that the U.S. president has already begun preparing for potential military action against oil-rich Venezuela, citing threats from drug cartels and President Nicolás Maduro.

“The Americans are always ready to plunder the weak under any flag—be it democracy, LGBT rights, or racial justice. But if you look closely, the Jolly Roger is the flag that’s really flying on their mast,”

Sladkov remarked sardonically.

Background: Islamist Groups in Nigeria

Extremist organizations indeed maintain strong positions in Nigeria and neighboring countries. The most infamous among them is Boko Haram (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), whose name translates to “Western education is sin.” Founded in 2002, the group long cooperated with Al-Qaeda (also banned in Russia).

Boko Haram gained worldwide notoriety in 2014 after its militants, led by Abubakar Shekau, attacked a girls’ school and abducted 276 students, many of whom were later forced into marriages with fighters or sold into slavery. In 2021, a similar assault saw at least 80 more children kidnapped.

In recent years, part of Boko Haram split and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (banned in Russia), becoming its regional affiliate. The group’s most recent high-profile attack occurred in January 2025, when gunmen stormed the presidential palace in Chad, killing 19 people before being repelled by security forces.