Two members of the United States parliament, Gregory W. Meeks and Sara Jacobs, have condemned President Donald Trump's recent threat to cut off aid and launch military action against Nigeria.
Meeks, a ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Ms Jacobs, ranking member of the Africa Subcommittee, described the comments as "irresponsible and reckless."
In a joint statement on Monday, the lawmakers also rejected the Nigerian designation as a "Country of Particular Concern" by the Trump administration.
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"The Trump administration's designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern ignores the complex reality of violence there.
"Clashes between farmers are many but not all of whom are Christian--and herders are driven by resource scarcity and land competition, not religion alone," the lawmakers said.
They noted that terrorist groups had killed both Christians and Muslims across the country, particularly in the predominantly Muslim North, which continues to face violent attacks by criminal gangs, commonly referred to as bandits.
"All Nigerians deserve protection, and we know President Tinubu recognises the importance of inter-faith harmony and is working to address this challenge," the statement added.
The lawmakers further criticised Mr Trump's remarks threatening to "defend Christians" through possible military intervention, calling it a "reckless response to distorted facts".
They said: "It is incredibly irresponsible of President Trump to threaten military action. Providing security support is one thing; threatening military intervention is another matter entirely. Such rhetoric risks embroiling the United States in another needless war."
On the threat of aid cut to Nigeria, the lawmakers argued that doing so would undermine critical humanitarian and development programmes in Nigeria.
"Trump's aid cuts have blocked much-needed emergency nutrition and livelihoods training, the very types of programmes essential to stopping the spread of insurgency," they added.
