Boko Haram Is an Offshoot of Al-Qaida, Retired General Warns Nigeria Over Anti-Christian Violence

Boko Haram is an offshoot of al-Qaida and part of a global surge in anti-Christian violence, with retired Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt urging President Donald Trump to consider tough sanctions if Nigeria fails to address the threat. Holt appeared on Newsmax’s “American Agenda” as the network pressed for answers on mounting attacks against Christians in Nigeria. Holt tied the country’s Islamist insurgency directly to the broader global terror network.
Well, Boko Haram is just another offshoot of al-Qaida. We’ve seen this all over the world, and they don’t mind terrorizing Christians,” he said.
Christians are now the most terrorized religion on the planet right now, if you take into account what’s going on in Europe, Sudan, Syria, and here at home in the United States with harassment everywhere you look.
“And so President Trump is using his moral authority to stand up and saying, ‘We’re not going to put up with this,'” Holt said.
“And Nigeria would do well to take care of their problems on their own. But if they can’t, they may find that the United States at least starts up with some very, very far-reaching sanctions at a minimum to try to protect these Christians.”
Holt’s warning followed Trump’s statement that he was considering military action in Nigeria after reporting a “mass slaughter” of Christians by Islamist insurgents.
Nigeria is a West African country with a population exceeding 230 million. The nation has faced ongoing security challenges, including attacks motivated by religion.
In 2012, Boko Haram, an Islamist organization, demanded that Christians leave the northern region and urged Muslims living in the south to return to the north.
Experts and analysts say the reality is more complex, with both Christian and Muslim targeted by radical Islamists, even as Christian communities bear the brunt in many areas.
Nigerian officials reject claims that the government is failing to protect Christians and have expressed bewilderment at Trump’s suggestion of possible U.S. military intervention.
In a Nov. 1 post on Truth Social, Trump said: “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. 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.
“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!
“WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!” he said.