· FG working to engage Washington – Presidency
· “A wake up call to tackle terrorists, bandits”
· We will defend our country – FFK
By Sarah NEGEDU & Michael AMAJAMA
Anger and blame game have taken centre stage as Nigerians weigh in on the implications of the designation of the country as Country of Particular Concern, CPC, and threat of US military incursion following allegations of Christian genocide and persecution.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a CPC and followed on Saturday with a threat of military action against the country.
In a post on Truth Social, he claimed Christianity was an existential threat in Nigeria as radical Islamic groups were killing thousands of Christians.
Since the events, opinions have differed but with most Nigerians against a US military invasion, but stating it was a wakeup call for the country’s leadership to do better in routing out criminal elements and terrorists.
Many argue that any US military presence could plunge the country into a worse crisis and lead to the death of more citizens.
Some social media users have referenced the devastation US invasions left behind in countries like Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya as a warning for Nigeria.
Tunde Asaju, a Nigerian based in Ottawa, Canada, in a post on Facebook titled, Trump is right? No, Trump is wrong, wrote: “Are Christians being persecuted in Nigeria? The answer is, no! Are humans being slaughtered indiscriminately in Nigeria, the answer is yes.
“For the past 20 years, human life has meant absolutely nothing in Nigeria, so thank God it took the phoney narrative that has been doing the rounds for President Trump to intervene and probably reset the brain of the Nigerian ruling class.”
He argued that “I don’t think Trump will deploy troops to Nigeria. Such an action will not work well for Christians, it will only endanger them. Because the moment America in its emergent Christian state takes sides in Africa’s most populous nation, that will be an invitation for all fundamentalists of the other faith to see Nigeria as a theatre of religious war.”
Also, Dr. Inyali Peter based in Calabar, Cross River State, wrote on X, “Is there a single country the US has invaded that it has not left in ruins? We must be cautious about what we support for the sake of politics. The United States has targeted every revolutionary African leader.”
Kemi Yesufu, publisher of frontlinenews, alleged that “majority of those of who are the most alarmist about foreign troops on Nigerian soil are the same people who prefer rampaging jihadists and bandits. Their only claim to intellectualism, education and identity is being anti-West.
“But it’s not all of us who wish to remain backward and live in a country where people are killed, raped and enslaved in the name of religion. I am a Christian but I am for a secular state, where the rule of law prevails and human rights are protected in the real sense of it.”
Tinubu working to meet Trump
As events ramp up, Daniel Bwala, the special adviser to the President on Policy Communication, hinted that Tinubu was working to meet Trump soon to discuss the current security situation in Nigeria.Bwala in a post on his X handle, noted that both “President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump have shared interest in the fight against insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity.”
He also stated that, “President Trump has assisted Nigeria a lot by authorising the sale of arms to Nigeria and President Tinubu has adequately utilised the opportunity in the fight against terrorism for which we have massive results to show for it.
“As for the differences as to whether terrorists in Nigeria target only Christians or in fact all faiths and no faiths, the differences if they exist would be discussed and resolved by the two leaders when they meet in the coming days, either in State House or White House.”
Assist Nigeria, not threats
The presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, in the 2023 general election, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has urged U.S. President Trump to support Nigeria with advanced technology to combat insecurity rather than issue threats of military action.
Kwankwaso made the call in a statement on Sunday.
In his statement, Kwankwaso stressed that Nigeria is a sovereign nation battling multiple security challenges that cut across all religions and ethnic groups.
“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,” Kwankwaso said.
We will defend our country
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, on Sunday said Nigerians were ready to defend the country against the US.
In a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, Fani-Kayode faulted Trump’s comments, describing them as provocative and unjustified. He urged Nigerian leaders and citizens to treat the issue with seriousness and unity.
