WATCH: Joseph Hammond answers questions about the violent crisis brewing in Nigeria

Donald Trump has stirred up global headlines by threatening to send U.S. forces into Nigeria to protect Christians from militant attacks. 

Some call it bold leadership, others dangerous interference, but what’s really happening behind this brewing crisis in Africa’s most populous nation? 

In this Q&A, we’re going to break down what’s driving the violence, who’s behind it, and whether U.S. intervention could change anything, or make the situation worse. 

My name is Joseph Hammond. Let’s get started. 

What does it mean that Nigeria has been labeled a “country of particular concern”?

President Trump has labeled Nigeria a country of particular concern over the continued violence against Christians in that country, which has resulted in thousands of deaths. This is a designation from the U.S. State Department that labels Nigeria as a country which has a really worrying situation vis-a-vis religious freedom. And that’s exemplified by the fact that we’re seeing the murder of thousands of Christians, dozens every day on the aggregate in Nigeria right now. President Trump first labeled Nigeria a country of particular concern in 2020. President Joe Biden removed that distinction, and now it has been labeled a country of particular concern again.

What’s driving this wave of violence?

Over 3000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria this year alone, according to third parties that are monitoring the violence there. What’s driving this conflict is a complex mix of religious animosity, of competition for scarce resources, primarily between Fulani militants, Boko Haram and ISIS in Nigeria. And all these groups are involved in violence against Christians to some level. And finally the erosion of state authority in many parts of Nigeria.

How much of this crisis is about religion versus politics, land or power? 

There’s definitely religious tensions in a country like Nigeria, where roughly the top of the country is majority Muslim, and the bottom half of the country is majority Christian. Now, of course, you can find Muslims and Christians virtually everywhere in Nigeria. That’s just how it works out, and this has created a natural tension in the political system in Nigeria. And that has played out into conflicts such as this. And we’re seeing increasingly those conflicts between the Fulani groups spread from the north, increasingly into the south. It’s also very much about land. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. The population is growing in Nigeria, and that’s putting a lot of pressure on traditional herders. the Fulani are one of those groups, perhaps the most diffuse group in Africa, herded cattle and other animals. And that lifestyle is increasingly under pressure from farmers and as population grows. And I think while Nigeria has seen rounds of this sort of conflict in the past, what’s different this time is that a lot of people I spoke to on the ground feel that they are not being heard by the central government. 

Watch the video for the full conversation.

Read more about developments in Nigeria:

• Trump doubles down on threat of military action in Nigeria to protect Christians from attacks
  
  
• Africa overtakes Mideast as world’s terrorism epicenter; U.S. military goals in question
  
  
• Trump puts spotlight on Nigeria where Islamists reportedly killed thousands of Christians this year
  
  
• Nigerian leaders respond to Trump’s ‘guns-a-blazing’ ultimatum
  
  
• The war against Christians and Will Trump attack Nigeria?