Lagos: The US president threatened to deploy troops to Nigeria to help crack down on Islamist extremists who are killing Christians, while Nigeria said it would accept help if its sovereignty was not violated. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Saturday that he had asked the Pentagon to prepare for a swift military operation in Nigeria if the country failed to curb the killing of Christians. He then said on Sunday that the U.S. military could deploy troops or use airstrikes to stop the killing of Christians, but did not provide further details.

According to Thai News Agency, Trump’s threat came just a day after the US reinstated Nigeria on its Countries of Particular Concern list of nations, which it said violated religious freedom. The list also included China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan.

Nigerian presidential adviser Daniel Bwala said he welcomed US assistance as long as it recognized Nigeria’s territorial integrity, insisting that Nigeria does not discriminate against any tribe or religion and that there has been no genocide against Christians. President Bola Tinubu, a Muslim from the country’s southern region who is married to a Christian, hit back at accusations of intolerance and defended Nigeria’s efforts to protect religious freedom.

Nigeria, with a population of over 200 million, is the largest in Africa and home to nearly 200 ethnic groups. The country is divided into a predominantly Muslim north and a predominantly Christian south. Over the past 15 years, Nigeria has faced violence by Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province, which have killed thousands of people, with analysts saying both Christians and Muslims are among the victims.