NIGERIA became the latest country to be threatened by United States President Donald Trump with military action.

Mr Trump revealed on Saturday that he has ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria.

He has alleged that Nigeria is failing to rein in persecution of Christians — the country is almost equally divided with Christians primarily living in the south, Muslims in the north.

Mr Trump posted on social media that “if the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the US will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”

He added: “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians!”

The warning came after Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu hit back earlier on Saturday at Mr Trump’s announcement on Friday that he was designating the west African country “a country of particular concern” for allegedly failing to curb the persecution of Christians.

In a social media statement on Saturday, Mr Tinubu said that the characterisation of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant country does not reflect the national reality.

“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” he said. 

He added: “Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it. 

“Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.”

Kimiebi Ebienfa, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement on Saturday: “The federal government of Nigeria will continue to defend all citizens, irrespective of race, creed or religion.

“Like America, Nigeria has no option but to celebrate the diversity that is our greatest strength.”