Nigeria says U.S. help against Islamist insurgents must respect its sovereignty

Nigeria says U.S. help against Islamist insurgents must respect its sovereignty
Drone footage shows Christians leaving St. Peter and Paul Church in Lagos
Reuters

Nigeria welcomes U.S. help against Islamist insurgents if its territorial integrity is respected, responding to Trump’s threats over alleged mistreatment of Christians.

Trump said on Saturday he had asked the Defence Department to prepare for possible "fast" military action in Nigeria if Africa's most populous country fails to crack down on the killing of Christians.

"We welcome U.S. assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity," Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, told Reuters.

Bwala sought to play down tensions between the two states, despite Trump calling Nigeria a "disgraced country".

"I am sure by the time these two leaders meet and sit, there would be better outcomes in our joint resolve to fight terrorism," he said.

Nigeria, a country of more than 200 million people and around 200 ethnic groups, is divided between the largely Muslim north and mostly Christian south.

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