The threat by the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, that his administration will suspend all aid and assistance to Nigeria if President Bola Tinubu’s government fails to address the growing attacks on Christians across the country, has continued to attract reactions from notable leaders from Northern Nigeria.
The situation reached its height on Friday, when President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.
The US government under Trump had first designated Nigeria a country of particular concern in 2020.
In a post on his Truth Social account on Saturday, Trump accused the Nigerian government of allowing what he described as “killing of Christians.”
He alleged that radical Islamist groups have been targeting Christian communities in different parts of Nigeria, insisting that Washington might be forced to intervene if the Nigerian authorities continue to look the other way.
The American leader also directed the Department of War to prepare for possible action in Nigeria.
“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! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
In separate reactions, former Kano State Governor,Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, and former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, admitted the seriousness of the threat and advised the President Bola Tinubu administration on steps to take.
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Presidential Candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in the last general election, has reacted to the threat of US President, Donald Trump, to Nigeria over alleged genocide.
Responding in a statement on Sunday, Kwankwaso said Nigeria is a sovereign nation whose people face different threats from outlaws.
He said insecurity does not distinguish between Christians or Muslims, adding that the US ought to assist Nigeria to tackle widespread security issues.
“I have noted with increasing concern the heightened pronouncements on Nigeria by President Donald Trump. This follows his designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
“It is important to emphasise that our country is a sovereign nation whose people face different threats from outlaws across the country. The insecurity we face does not distinguish based on religious, ethnic, or political beliefs.
The United States should assist the Nigerian authorities with better cutting-edge technology to tackle these problems rather than posing a threat that could further polarise our country.
“The Nigerian government should also consider appointing special envoys from its distinguished diplomats to engage the American government. Additionally, it is necessary to appoint permanent ambassadors to represent Nigeria’s interests on the international stage.
In his reaction, Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi urged President Bola Tinubu to take decisive action against former U.S. President Donald Trump following his threat of military action against Nigeria.
In a post on his verified Facebook page on Sunday, Gumi condemned Trump’s threat as an insult to Nigeria’s sovereignty and called for an immediate diplomatic response.
“For Trump to threaten a sovereign country with military attack is a profound disrespect to our authority, but we can rise above it,” he wrote.
Gumi advised the Nigerian government to summon the U.S. ambassador and demand a retraction, warning that failure to do so should lead to severing diplomatic ties.
“President Tinubu should summon the US ambassador; they either retract their threats or we sever diplomatic ties with this irresponsible regime,” he said.
He also emphasized the need for Nigeria to explore other options for economic growth and military partnerships.
“There are lots of other options for our economic expansion and military alliance,” Gumi said.
In his own reaction, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately convene a meeting with all past Nigerian leaders to discuss and address the recent threat issued by United States President, Donald Trump, against Nigeria.
Lamido, in a statement posted on his official Facebook page, described the invasion threat as “very ominous,” warning that its consequences could be dire if not properly handled.
He said, “The threat of war on Nigeria from President Trump of the United States of America, under whatever guise, is very ominous. The consequences of such action cannot be imagined.”
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain called for unity among Nigerians, stressing that this is the time for all citizens, regardless of creed or background, to rally around the nation’s sovereignty.
“It is now time for all Nigerians of all creed to unite around our sovereignty. President Tinubu, on his part, must swallow his pride and invite all our past leaders for a closed-door meeting to fully discuss and find a way around this dangerous development,” Lamido stated.
“Our former Presidents and Heads of State are eminently positioned to engage the USA and President Trump in an all-out quiet diplomacy, outside the media realm, to resolve whatever concerns the U.S. may have,” he added.
Lamido warned that Nigeria does not have the luxury of time and emphasised the need for urgent collective action.
The Atlantic Bell reports that President Bola Tinubu had earlier dismissed suggestions of religious intolerance in Nigeria, affirming that the country remains firmly governed by constitutional guarantees protecting freedom of religion and belief for all citizens.
Responding to remarks credited to US President Donald Trump, Tinubu on Saturday emphasised that his administration has, since 2023, maintained open and active engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders while addressing security challenges affecting citizens across all faiths and regions.
The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” Tinubu stated.
He noted that religious freedom and tolerance have always been central to Nigeria’s collective identity, stressing that the country “opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”
The President reaffirmed that Nigeria’s Constitution provides strong guarantees for the protection of citizens irrespective of their faith and reiterated his government’s commitment to working closely with the United States and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation in protecting all religious communities.
