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Alleged Christian Genocide: US President’s Threat of Military Action in Nigeria

Alleged Christian Genocide: US President’s Threat of Military Action in Nigeria

By Keem Abdul

“Prepare for possible action.” ~ Trump

That was the order the US President, Donald Trump, issued to his Department of War in response to allegations of anti-Christian violence in Nigeria – which he blamed on radical Islamic terrorists. The order follows a post he made on social media some days back, in which he announced that the US would immediately cut off all assistance to Nigeria if the Nigerian government continued to allow the killing of Christians. The US, he said, “may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing,’. He described his threatened attack as “fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!” He also announced that Nigeria would be added to the Department of State’s list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) – a governance barometer to monitor religious persecution around the world. Recall that Nigeria was first placed on the CPC list by the U.S. in 2020 over what that country’s State Department called ‘systematic violations of religious freedom.’ The designation was lifted in 2023.

Days before the President’s posts, a number of US (mostly Republican) political figures claimed that violent disputes in Nigeria are part of a systematic campaign of Christian genocide. The most prominent among them was the Republican Senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, who urged the US Congress to designate Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom. More recently, the American comedian and TV host, Bill Maher, has expounded on this narrative on his popular syndicated show. “I’m not a Christian,” he said, “but they are systematically killing the Christians in Nigeria … This is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. They are literally attempting to wipe out the Christian population of an entire country.”

With human rights groups – in Nigeria and around the globe – consistently calling on successive governments in Nigeria, including the current administration of President Bola Tinubu, to do more to address insurgency, banditry, herder-farmer clashes and ethnic disputes in the country, both the government and some stakeholders say that claims of a Christian genocide are not only false but also a trivialization of much deeper socio-economic and cultural issues, and that Trump is simply amplifying a dangerous ‘far-right’ narrative. Armed groups like Boko Haram, these stakeholders say, have historically targeted both Muslims and Christians – bombing markets, churches and mosques in equal measure. Similarly, they note, banditry in Northern Nigeria often pits Fulani herders against (predominantly Muslim) Hausa communities – nuances of Nigeria’s realities that foreign media mercenaries, eager to stoke ethno-religious divisions, fail to grasp or deliberately ignore.
Others, while acknowledging the existential threats Christians face in some parts of the country, have called on the Trump administration to seek effective ways of working with Nigerian authorities to address the common enemy (e.g. by offering military and other assistance) as opposed to embarking on unilateral military action – saying such a move would be counterproductive.

In his comments on the matter, President Tinubu has stressed that his government “continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.” The characterization of Nigeria as a religiously intolerant society, he said, “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. Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.”

No matter how one looks at the situation – and whether the killings in various parts of Nigeria amount to a genocide, or whether they target any specific religious group – there is no denying the fact that Nigeria, whose population is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims, has long endured harrowing insecurity, which must be tackled with all the seriousness and urgency it deserves.

To be sure, the killing of ONE innocent person is a monumental tragedy and an attack on our common humanity, let alone the mass killing of innocents. But the use of the word, ‘genocide’ (legally defined as ‘certain acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group’) takes on a deeper and problematic dimension – which is why governments or groups the world over are often so vociferous in denying complicity whenever they are accused of perpetrating it. Turkey, for example, has for decades rejected the international community’s designation of its actions against the Armenian population in 1915-16 (during WW I) as ‘genocide’. As we speak, in fact, the State of Israel is pushing back against widespread accusations of genocide in Gaza during its two-year conflict with the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. Clear, undeniable cases of genocide, however, include the Jewish Holocaust perpetrated by Germany’s Nazi regime during WW II, and the Rwandan genocide of 1994, among others.

In instances where a nation is accused of genocide, it has sought to control the narrative, first by noting international concern about the issue in question and then redoubling its efforts to address it. It then works to dispel misconceptions likely to muddy the waters and further complicate an already complex situation. More than just responding to Trump’s threat, Tinubu must lead the narrative, speak with presence and power. Nigeria’s silence on the global stage has long created a vacuum, and because nature abhors a vacuum, as they say, this silence has been filled by half-truths and deliberate falsehoods by people with Trump-sized platforms and megaphones. Facts, diplomacy, and firm leadership must be our watchwords going forward, so as to stop providing fodder for external agendas and prevent the Trumps of this world (whose only language is presence and power) from defining our story for us.

Furthermore, several threatening tweets by President Trump, the US Secretary of War, Peter Hegseth, as well as Congressman Riley M. Moore, have presented a worrisome number of “ifs”, suggesting the hell-bent disposition of the Trump-led US government towards military action if the urgent conditions are not met. Such unequivocal and brazen threats from the USA, regardless of whether they are perceived as an affront or international concern, suggest there are consequences for inaction by the Nigerian government, with further hesitation making matters worse. The knee jerk reactions by the Nigerian government representatives and aides since Friday, for instance, is a diplomatic gaffe that hints the general lethargy with which the Nigerian government has responded to national insecurity, further worsening the negative perception.
Even as Tinubu has yet to appoint ambassadors since assuming office, nothing stops the Nigerian government from exploring other avenues for engaging Washington. For example, the government could appoint a high-powered government delegation comprised of former diplomats Prof Bolaji Akinyemi, (former Foreign Affairs Minister), Chief Emeka Anyaoku (former Secretary General Commonwealth) and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe (top diplomat cum intelligence operative) meeting with Congressmen at the Capitol in Washington to allay their fears and presenting a diplomatic letter (Formal First Person Note) from President Bola Tinubu or Yusuff Tuggar highlighting the action plan undertaken by the administration and efforts made so far in quelling insecurity in the country.

In fostering positive narratives, President Tinubu could also delegate representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and other notable Christian leaders such as Pastor Enoch Adeboye of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), and Bishop David Oyedepo of Winners Chapel to grant press conference countering the claims of the Christian genocide.

Additionally, President Tinubu must situate the problem where it belongs – namely, that issues surrounding the deadly violence in Nigeria are NOT about religion but a deadly cocktail of insecurity, herder-farmer clashes, cross-border infiltrations, illegal mining, fights over dwindling resources, population pressures and climate change. He must also affirm that in spite of these challenges, Nigeria remains a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
And not only must he reiterate his government’s readiness to protect all citizens regardless of faith or ethnicity, it must be SEEN to be doing so. Tinubu must also highlight his government’s successes in tackling insecurity since May 2023, as a result of which terrorism-related deaths have fallen from 2,600 a month before that date to fewer than 200 today.

Far from being a disgraced nation (in Trump’s words), Nigeria must show itself as a strong, resilient and united nation with a rich history, a diverse culture, and a bright future.
What the government must NOT do is to act out of panic or indulge in knee-jerk reactions; Nigeria has navigated complex geopolitical situations before, and can do so again. In international relations, strong words often serve as strategic pressure, aimed at achieving specific goals. What is called for at this time is wisdom, strategic foresight, and the ability to approach situations with clarity and level-headedness. In engaging with international critics, Nigeria must prioritize diplomacy, firmness, and confidence as she engages in constructive dialogue and clarifies misconceptions. History has shown that nations that remain calm and composed in the face of adversity often emerge stronger.

• Keem Abdul, a public relations guru, publisher and writer, hails from Lagos. He can be reached via text on +2349046303816 or Akeemabdul2023@gmail.com

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By Keem Abdul “Prepare for possible action.” ~ Trump That was the order the US President, Donald Trump, issued to his Department of War in response to allegations of anti-Christian

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Nigeria- U.S Diplomatic Row: Blame APC’s Foreign Policy, Says Olawepo-Hashim

Nigeria- U.S Diplomatic Row: Blame APC’s Foreign Policy, Says Olawepo-Hashim

*Says ‘diplomatic crisis’ shows urgent need for policy reset

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

A former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said that the responsibility for the ongoing diplomatic crisis between Nigeria and the United States over alleged Christian genocide lies squarely with the inept administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, not with U.S. President Donald Trump, who is also facing mounting pressure from his political base.

Dr. Okawepo-Hashim, a veteran human rights activist and 2009 recipient of the prestigious Lord Max Beloff Prize in Global Affairs from the University of Buckingham, United Kingdom, said the diplomatic standoff reflects the Tinubu government’s “reckless and self serving foreign policy,” which prioritizes personal, political, and pecuniary interests over Nigeria’s national security and global reputation.

“It is deeply troubling that, as we speak, Nigeria does not have Ambassadors in many key countries. The bi-national and bilateral commissions established to address pressing concerns on security and trade have collapsed for over a decade,” Hashim stated.

He lamented that, after paralyzing institutional mechanisms for diplomacy, the ruling APC government has resorted to using “a motley crowd of poorly informed operatives and international outlaws pushing shady interests incoherently and dangerously.”

Hashim described this as “a Janjaweed foreign policy, which is truly disgraceful and embarrassing.”

Recalling Nigeria’s proud legacy as a stabilizing force in Africa, Olawepo-Hashim noted that the country once stood tall as a reliable partner that brought peace to West Africa through ECOMOG and played leading roles in peacekeeping operations in Congo, Darfur, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. “Our current predicament is both tragic and disgraceful,” he lamented.

He faulted attempts to downplay reports of targeted killings, saying such arguments were “fundamentally faulty.”

“Which categories of Nigerians need to die in the staggering numbers we see before we acknowledge the evidence of complicity and failure to protect citizens?” he asked.

The former presidential candidate further alleged that grave human rights violations are being committed daily by supporters of the ruling APC while the administration looks away. He warned that open threats by party loyalists against groups of voters suspected of not supporting Tinubu in 2027 amount to international crimes under the Rome Statute, which Nigeria has domesticated.

“These threats are directed at an ethnic group that predominantly practices one faith,” he said. “Such acts cannot be dismissed as internal affairs when Nigeria is a signatory to many international human rights conventions.”

Olawepo-Hashim, once designated a Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International in 1989, called for an urgent national dialogue to chart a new course for Nigeria’s post-Tinubu national security and foreign policy architecture.

“Genuine patriots must begin consultations to rebuild a framework that ensures peace, stability, and the preservation of Nigeria’s sovereignty,” he said. “If the American initiative has become a catalyst for this necessary national reawakening, then it is a most welcome development,” he said.

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*Says ‘diplomatic crisis’ shows urgent need for policy reset Chuks Okocha in Abuja A former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has said that the responsibility for the ongoing diplomatic crisis

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Abeokuta-Sango-Ota Road Construction and Gov Abiodun’s Responsiveness

Abeokuta-Sango-Ota Road Construction and Gov Abiodun’s Responsiveness

By Olaniyi Ajibola

It was a plethora of applause for Governor Dapo Abiodun and huge jubilation among the residents of Ogun State when the Governor, after all odds and seeming obstacles eventually got the nod of the Federal Government to construct the Abeokuta-Sango-Ota road, which had been in a very deplorable condition and almost impassable for 21 years.

Being the second busiest road in Nigeria, with significant economic impact for the people of the state and other Nigerians alike, the Governor swiftly moved to ease the sufferings of the people as soon as he assumed office in 2019, but unfortunately met a brick wall from the Federal Government, as the then Minister vehemently warned the Governor to stay clear of the Federal road irrespective of the degree of urgency of the intervention.

For four years, the Governor kept pushing and lobbying the Federal Government to construct the road, having being disturbed by the daily suffering of the people on the road and the attendant economic quagmire caused by the bad road and his struggle eventually paid off with the current administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which put the former Governor of Eboyin State, Engineer David Umahi in the saddle.

Breaking the 21-year jinx of stagnation on the very important road made the jubilation among the people of the State and other road users very unprecedented, they commended the Governor for his tenacity, resilience and compassion, despite suffocating provocation.

The flag off of the 70-kilometre road on August 23, 2024 marked a turning point in the history of infrastructural development in the state, as the road significantly constitutes part of humongous infrastructural deficit Prince Dapo Abiodun inherited upon assumption of office, as he promised to complete the road within 18 months.

Since that time, the contractor handling the project has been working assidiously and consistently to fix the road, through five gangs working simultaneously at Olomore, Midgad/Metroxide, Papanlanto Junction, Owode, and the Toll Gate axis. Meanwhile, the state Government has appealed to motorists and residents plying the road to remain calm and exercise patience as construction work continues along the busy corridor.

A statement issued recently by the State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, acknowledged the temporary inconveniences being experienced by road users, noting that some sections of the road have become slippery due to ongoing earthworks and the prevailing rainy season.

He advised motorists to drive carefully and comply with traffic directives to prevent avoidable accidents, explaining that concrete pavement casting currently ongoing along parts of the Ewekoro axis has necessitated the temporary closure of certain sections and the introduction of traffic diversions.

Engr. Akinsanya assured the public that the government is working tirelessly to rehabilitate and restore the road’s full functionality.

While admitting that persistent rainfall in recent weeks has slowed down the pace of work, he reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to completing the project within record time.

“Key sections such as Obada Oko, Ilese Awo, Onijanganjangan, and Ewekoro are receiving focused attention from the contractor. Efforts are being intensified to improve driving conditions and enhance accessibility across the entire stretch,” he stated.

The Commissioner reiterated that although the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway is a federal road, the Ogun State Government, in its magnanimity and in line with its people-oriented governance philosophy, has taken over its reconstruction to ease the hardship faced by commuters.

He added that the state’s intervention aims to alleviate traffic congestion, reduce travel time, and prevent the loss of lives and productive hours commonly associated with poor road conditions along the corridor.

Expressing optimism about progress on the project, Engr. Akinsanya assured residents and motorists that as the rains subside, the current challenges would soon be over. He assured the people of the government’s unwavering commitment to delivering durable, safe, and quality road infrastructure across the state.

It is the same compassion and responsiveness the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun has exhibited in tackling similar challenges since inception, in the face of accumulated deficit in road infrastructure across the state, the menace the Governor inherited from previous administrations.

Since government is a continuum, the Governor has no other choice than to correct the anomaly to the best of his ability and within the limit of available resources, which he is doing with utmost determination and commitment, despite the campaign of calumny by naysayers and fifth columnists.

There is no doubt that Governor Dapo Abiodun has creditably done very well to change the ugly face of road infrastructure in the state, from the central senatorial district to the west and east, without abandoning other sectors like Health, Education, Human Capital Development, Agriculture and Security among others.

Of great significance is how he has eased the sufferings of residents living at the Lagos-Ogun borders in Ifo Local Government, namely :Alagbole, Akute and other adjourning communities whose roads have been abandoned for years without single intervention after the administration of Aremo Olusegun Osoba.

Finally, in the face of this accumulated deficit of road infrastructure, the solace is that the current administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun is showing unflinching commitment to right the wrong of the past and ensure greatness happiness to the greatest number of Ogun State’s residents.

The Governor’s commitment is assuring and his responsiveness remains very inspiring.

*Ajibola is a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Strategic Communications

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By Olaniyi Ajibola It was a plethora of applause for Governor Dapo Abiodun and huge jubilation among the residents of Ogun State when the Governor, after all odds and seeming

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Commonwealth Conference: FG Assures Nurses, Midwives Of Support 

Commonwealth Conference: FG Assures Nurses, Midwives Of Support 

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

The Federal Government on Tuesday pledged to support the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation Conference (CNMF), West African Region, in Abuja.‎

The Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, gave the assurance at the State House, Abuja, when the leadership of the association paid him a courtesy visit ahead of the event.‎

Gbajabiamila reiterated the Tinubu administration’s unwavering commitment to healthcare reforms, noting that health remains one of the government’s top priorities. 

He cited several recent achievements, including the revitalization of primary healthcare centres, the expansion of national health insurance coverage from 20 million to 60 million Nigerians, and increased investment in health infrastructure and manpower development.

The CoS congratulated the association for securing the hosting right, the first in West Africa, and emphasised the need for a clear implementation plan to guide government support.‎

“Thank you for taking the time to come and inform us on what you’re doing. Congratulations that you will be hosting this Commonwealth event in April next year, the first of its kind.‎

“We wish you all the very best, and undoubtedly, government will play whatever role it deems fit and is in a position to play.‎

“I think it’s important if this office can get a clear plan as to where you are, the roadmap to April, what you’ve done, and how you intend to execute it,” Gbajabiamila said.‎

He also called for synergy between the association, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, for seamless coordination.‎

Earlier, the National President of NANNM, Comrade Haruna Mamman, appealed for government’s support in hosting the conference scheduled for April 20 to 24, 2026.‎

He said hosting the West African regional CNMF conference would benefit Nigeria and showcase the country’s leadership in healthcare.‎

Mamman disclosed that the event, which will attract nurses and midwives from 56 Commonwealth countries, will also be attended by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Botchwey.‎

According to him, the conference aligns with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and will promote professional excellence and international collaboration in the health sector.‎

He requested the support of the Federal Government in visa facilitation, financial support, and hosting of CNMF executives from the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa.‎

Mamman also requested for a courtesy visit to President Tinubu by the CNMF leadership and for the president to officially flag off the conference in April 2026.‎

“We are not in doubt of the political will of Mr. President to make Nigeria a reference nation to others. We believe this conference will further make Nigeria a pride of the continent,” Mamman said.‎

The CNMF conference is expected to focus on strengthening healthcare systems, advancing nursing practice and enhancing collaboration across Commonwealth member nations.

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Deji Elumoye in Abuja  The Federal Government on Tuesday pledged to support the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) in hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives Federation