United States (U.S.) Congressman Bill Huizenga has said US President Donald Trump is unlikely to launch military action following the latter’s threat to go “guns-ablazing” in Nigeria.
Huizenga said this in an interview published on Tuesday.
Recall that in late October, Trump said he had ordered the U.S. Department of War to “prepare for possible action” in Nigeria over the alleged Christian genocide.
According to the US lawmaker, Trump probably wanted the killings allegedly targeted at Christians and other Nigerians to end.
Huizenga, who said he was surprised by Trump’s comments, noted that he did not think the US President’s priority was a military intervention in Nigeria.
He said, “I too was surprised by the comments when they came out; that the President came out that forcefully. I suspect that that is not a high priority of having actual military intervention, specifically in Nigeria. But I think he does want to make sure that, from his view, the genocide that is happening specifically against Christians, but also others in Nigeria, needs to stop. While I don’t envision a surprise attack, I don’t envision that there’s going to be a military response.
“First, as we had talked about, I would first and foremost encourage them to look at the economic pressure and sanctions on both individuals and organisations. I think that would be the most effective.
“Frankly, this President has been someone who has pursued peace rather than just expanding war. So I think he would be very selective before he did anything militarily”.
According to him, economic sanctions will deter terrorists from funding their activities. “Sanctions really cut-off the flow of money, cut off the flow of travel. We don’t know who exactly is financing much of these operations from the Fulani or Boko Haram in the past. And what I do know is, though, if we put economic pressure on them and the inability to move money around, that will have an impact, I think a positive impact”, he stated.
He urged the Nigerian government to take action to check insecurity in the country.
Huizenga appears not to be the first to believe Trump might not launch military action in Nigeria. The Washington Post reported on Sunday that Trump’s threat surprised some of his aides and even key players in the campaign against “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.
It reported that the threat caught many off guard and generated immediate concern within the United States Africa Command, which directs American military operations across the continent.
