Nigeria feels Trump's wrath over escalating killing of Christians

The US president is threatening to end aid and send in the army if a divided country does not curb religious violence, writes Seun Matiluko

- Seun Matiluko

President Donald Trump has said he will stop all US aid to Nigeria and send in the military, “guns-a-blazing”, if the country “continues to allow the killing of Christians”.

Why it matters

Since at least the late 1990s, there has been violent conflict in parts of northern and central Nigeria, often initiated by herdsmen from the country's Fulani ethnic group.

Violence has intensified recently: earlier this year, more than 100 people were killed in the rural village of Yelwata. Experts say the attacks are driven by land disputes between the nomadic herdsmen and farmers; access to resources; and religion - the vast majority of Fulani herdsmen are Muslim and many of those killed Christian.

Many players

People living in northern Nigeria and the central belt must also contend with regular attacks by the terrorist group Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West African Province.