U.S. President Donald Trump recently claimed that Christians are being specifically targeted , citing figures that 3,100 of the 4,470 victims were Christian.

However, security experts dispute this assertion, noting that Islamist violence in Nigeria is often indiscriminate, affecting both Christians and Muslims alike.

Analysts emphasise that many of the deadliest attacks have struck Muslim-majority communities, and no reliable data proves Christians are disproportionately targeted.

Experts point instead to complex, overlapping causes behind the violence, from struggles over political power and land disputes to deep-rooted ethnic tensions.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s military remains overstretched, underfunded, and mired in corruption , leaving it unable to sustain gains against insurgents who have adapted with new funding networks, local alliances, and control of rural zones.