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Suddenly, President Donald Trump of the United States (US) has come into the consciousness of Nigerians over his military invasion of Nigeria threat after designating it a ‘country of particular concern’ (CPC) over alleged Christian genocide. Trump said that religious violence in Nigeria has led to the death of thousands of Christians and bombing of churches in Nigeria. Trump’s war threat is indeed rattling and is currently dominating public discourse.
Everybody in Nigeria, including market women, traders and people in the street are talking about Trump’s invasion of Nigeria. Some are even making jokes of it and anticipating where it will start. For those in government and the enlightened Nigerians, it is not a laughing matter. It is a serious matter for being under the radar of the US, the most powerful nation in the world. It is not even good to be under the radar of Donald Trump who does not make empty threats.
It takes a Trump’s sneeze for Nigerians to get cold. Why is Trump interfering in Nigerian affairs? Is it because of his new found love for Nigerian Christians or any other thing? Is there more to this than meet our eyes? Is it giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it? What have we done wrong? What is our offence? If Nigerians are worried over Trump’s military threat, it is understandable. A war against Trump is not winnable. We won’t even contemplate it. It is not in our best interest. It will not favour us. The odds are heavily against us as underdogs and militarily ill-equipped for such a gamble.
It is worrisome that despite the federal government’s swift denial of the allegation and backed with official statistics, Trump is apparently not backing down. I don’t know why Washington is not listening to Abuja on this diplomatic row or impasse. Those jubilating over the threat don’t know what they are doing. Those tending to politicize the matter are not facing reality. They are dreaming.
This time calls for stocktaking over the war against terrorism and how best to prosecute and win it. It also calls for sober reflection, contemplative thinking and application of emotional intelligence. This is not the time for aluta. It is a serious matter. A serious matter requires a serious approach and response. It is not a matter of yabis or ikonko in Igbo. This matter has gone beyond njakiri.
And where did the rain began to beat us? It started a long time ago. It took Trump to wake us up to that reality. Trump had last week designated Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’ (CPC), stressing that Christians are facing existential threat in the country. According to Trump, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am here making Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern”—but that is the least of it.”
Trump also said: “When Christians or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done.” Trump further declared: “We stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world!”
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Trump further threatened possible military action against Nigeria over the killing of Christians. He even vowed to cut all economic aid and assistance to the country. What is CPC? The ‘Countries of Particular Concern’ is a list of nations the US considers to have engaged in religious freedom violations. The list includes: China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, Pakistan, and others. “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump posted on social media.
He also stated: “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians!” I don’t think Trump will attack Nigeria based on this allegation. Doing so will amount to undue interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign country. Maybe Trump wants more attention from Abuja, which he is not apparently getting. I believe this matter will be sorted out soon.
Without doubt, the federal government has been handling the Trump’s threat with the much-needed maturity and diplomacy. It has even intensified engagement with Washington over the military threat. The government has said it over and over again that there is no genocidal killing in Nigeria. The terrorists in Nigeria kill people of all religions. Terrorism in Nigeria predates this government. It may have escalated since 2023. Apart from religion, there are other factors fueling insecurity and killings in the country. This is the point the European Union (EU) has made while backing the federal government against US interference in Nigeria’s affairs. China and ECOWAS have also lent support to Nigeria in the bilateral crisis with the US.
Nigeria should use the opportunity offered by Donald Trump’s fiery rhetoric on Nigeria’s insecurity to begin to do new things to address the monster that has refused to go away despite billions of naira spent in prosecuting the war against terrorism. The war cannot be endless. It has killed many Nigerians with more casualties on Christians and churches. Remember the attack at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State, on June 5, 2022, which left over 50 worshippers dead. Remember the Yelwata massacre of June 13 and 14, 2025, which led to the killing of 200 people in Benue State. Riyom community in Plateau State has witnessed such mass killings and mass burials. There are many.
It is this pattern of killing that gives the impression of genocidal religious killings in Nigeria. The government must stop the slaughtering of Nigerians whether they are Christians, Muslims or adherents of other religions. Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution clearly states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” In other words, the above is the primary function of the government. The murderous killing in Nigeria since 2009 does not show that the government is keeping faith with this constitutional provision.
Upon the murderous killings by the terrorists, those behind the heinous criminality are never apprehended and prosecuted. Their sponsors are not even touched. Some are even freed and rehabilitated under the guise of repentance. Let the government begin to prosecute and punish the killers of Nigerians, whether they are terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and criminals. Let Nigerians support the government against the threat by Washington. Let us be patriotic and defend our sovereignty. The war against terrorism must not be interminable. It must end. Let the government muster the political will to end it.
