Professor suggests Trump’s strike in Nigeria was racially motivated violence

U.S. strikes against terrorist targets in Nigeria are another opportunity for the Trump administration to “use violence in Brown country to expand its power,” Morgan State University professor Jason Johnson said Saturday.

Appearing on MS NOW’s “Weekend” show, Johnson told host Eugene Daniels that the administration’s reasoning behind the attacks did not make sense and questioned why President Donald Trump cares about African countries he once disdained.

“Look, if the president of the United States suddenly decided five years ago that he cared about what he called ‘pit’ countries — the president of the United States would sit there with a giant chessboard with Nicki Minaj and say, ‘Where should Barbs go?’ Okay, okay. Maybe this all makes sense, but it doesn’t,” Johnson argued.

“We know this is another opportunity for this administration to use violence to expand their power in Brown country.”

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Johnson referenced rapper Nicki Minaj’s recent comments at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest 2025 last week, in which she advocated for an end to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

Johnson also questioned whether the “figures spread by Republicans” regarding the number of Christians killed in the country were accurate.

“The BBC has done extensive research into whether the numbers the Republicans are putting out are correct. Was it 100,000 people? Was it 6,000 people? Are they mixing different numbers?” he asked.

The professor claimed that Republicans were exaggerating the scope of attacks against Christians in the country, stating that terrorist organizations operating outside Nigeria “do not care whether you are Christian, Muslim or any other religion, they attack everyone.”

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Johnson said “one of the subtle bright spots” was that the attacks were carried out jointly with the Nigerian government rather than being unilateral; he argued that this distinction was lost in much of the news.

President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign event in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on December 19, 2025 (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

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On Thursday, Trump announced on Truth Social that the U.S. military had launched airstrikes targeting ISIS militants he accused of killing Christians in northwestern Nigeria on Christmas night, calling the operation decisive and warning that more attacks would follow if the violence continued.

“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and lethal offensive against the ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, targeting and brutally killing, primarily innocent Christians, at levels not seen in years, even centuries!” Trump wrote.

US Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed the attacks in a post on Channel X on Thursday night.

This photo, published by the Christian Association of Nigeria, was captured in St. Petersburg on November 21, 2025, after gunmen in the Papiri community in Nigeria kidnapped children and staff. It shows the dormitories of St. Mary’s Catholic Elementary and Secondary School. (Christian Association of Nigeria via AP)

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The move comes in the wake of increasing attacks on Christians and Christian institutions in Nigeria. Last month, gunmen stormed the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, killing two people and abducting dozens of others. The 38 kidnapped worshipers were released about a week later.

Days later, armed attackers attacked St. Petersburg in Niger State. He raided St. Mary’s School and kidnapped more than 300 students and staff. School officials said that 50 students aged between 10 and 18 escaped in the following days, but 253 students and 12 teachers were still captive.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.