A member of the United States Congress, Riley Moore, has come out in defence of President Donald Trump following recent US airstrikes in Nigeria, saying the operation was carried out to promote peace and security rather than fuel conflict.
Moore made the remarks in a post on X on Monday, explaining that the Christmas Day airstrikes targeted ISIS positions as part of efforts to safeguard thousands of Christians facing persistent violence and threats to their lives in Nigeria.
According to the congressman, the coordinated military action has renewed hope among Christian communities across the country.
“President Trump is not trying to bring war to Nigeria; he’s bringing peace and security to Nigeria and to the thousands of Christians who face horrific violence and death.
“The strikes against ISIS on Christmas, in coordination with the Nigerian government, have given hope to the Christians in Nigeria,” Moore said.
The New Daily Prime reported earlier that the US military operation was announced by Trump via Truth Social.
According to the US Africa Command, the strikes involved precision attacks on ISIS camps located in Sokoto State, resulting in the deaths of several terrorists.
Nigeria’s federal government later confirmed that the strikes were conducted jointly, describing them as part of ongoing counterterrorism collaboration between both countries.
Despite this, the operation sparked criticism from some quarters, with concerns raised about possible threats to Nigeria’s sovereignty and the safety of civilians.
Moore dismissed such concerns, insisting that the intervention was crucial to stopping continued attacks on Christians. He also recalled that Trump had previously warned about what he described as the “slaughter” of Christians.
The airstrikes came after Trump designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over issues related to religious violence and the alleged persecution of Christians in the country.
