Boko haram

Trump has threatened military action over the ill-treatment of Christians in the country, although most victims of terror groups have been Muslim, analysts say.

Trump on Saturday said he has asked the Defense Department to prepare for possible "fast" military action in Nigeria if the West African nation fails to crack down on the killing of Christians.

Trump said he ordered the Pentagon to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria and halted US aid, accusing the country of allowing Christian persecution.

Nigeria is battling an Islamist insurgency led by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) that has killed tens of thousands and displaced more than two million more.

All values melt away in the face of fear. We are learning that only force prevails, not just in the Middle East but worldwide. We are forced to learn their language to survive, which is so sad.

That expensively educated university students – among them Jews – are aligning themselves with the bigoted, murderous, antisemitic Boko Haram-like Hamas is ludicrous and evil.

Two people familiar with Boko Haram chief al-Barnawi told Reuters the voice on the recording was that of the ISWAP leader.

Abubakar Shekau has been the figurehead of an Islamist insurgency that has since 2009 killed more than 30,000 people and forced around 2 million people to flee their homes.

"One mother told the agency she had had to watch as her 12-year-old son was killed in this way close to where she was hiding with her other children."

In the last weeks a series of incidents have raised concerns in a country beset by violence for the last decade.