Brian Lair on WNYC, we're going to talk about the nation of Nigeria now.

Maybe you know, maybe you're connected to Nigeria from Nigeria,

roots in Nigeria, but if you're not, you may not know

that Nigeria is in the news facing a surge of violence and a security situation that analysts say

has been deteriorating for years. There have been mass kidnappings at schools recently and deadly attacks in rural communities. But here in the

U.S., there is a U.S. element to this. The violence has been pulled into a very different conversation.

President Trump and some of his allies are describing these incidents as part of an organized

Islamist campaign targeting Christians, and the president has even

threatened U.S. military action in response. Now, we should say Nigerian officials and many

experts who watch the region closely say that picture is incomplete at best. Extremist groups have

killed Christians, but also Muslims in Nigeria, and some of the deadliest attacks

grow out of land disputes, resource conflicts, and a security system stretch far beyond its capacity

for like 15 years. At the same time, armed bandit gangs have become one of the biggest

threats in the country,

hidden communities of many faiths.

And in the middle of all, those families are still searching for more than 250 children.

This is what's in the news as the immediate hook.

More than 250 children still missing, taken from a Catholic boarding school just last week. So joining us now is NPR,

international correspondent, Emmanuel Achenwatu, to help us untangle what's really driving the

violence, also, excuse me, how it's framed in Washington, and why the reality is far more

complicated than a simple religious

conflict, but also to talk about whatever religious conflict is involved.

...