Prominent Nigerians have begun to react to the threat of U.S. military intervention in Nigeria over reported Christian genocide in the country, with many calling for urgent domestic solutions.
Trump had earlier designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), and he later on Saturday evening escalated his warning, instructing the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare for possible military action against the perpetrators.
Reacting, the Executive in Residence at the Lagos Business School, Mr. Olu Akanmu, described the situation as an embarrassment resulting from leadership failures. He urged the government to establish state and community police forces, mobilize 100,000 personnel per state, and fully equip regional security outfits such as Amotekun.
“If any good thing comes out of this, let it be that it gingers our political leadership to stop playing the ostrich on security… and mobilize 100,000 state and community police per state, creating a fighting force of 3.6 million personnel to tackle terrorists and bandits across Nigeria,” Akanmu wrote on his Facebook page.
What others are saying
Activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore emphasized that Nigeria must address insecurity internally.
He warned that foreign military intervention could destabilize the country, citing U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria as examples of how external interventions often leave nations more unstable.
Former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso highlighted Nigeria’s sovereignty, urging the U.S. to provide technological support rather than threats.
“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.
- He called on the Nigerian government to appoint special envoys and permanent ambassadors to engage international partners, while emphasizing the need for national unity amid rising tensions.
- There have also been concerns that Nigeria is not equipped to withstand U.S. military power and the potential consequences of foreign intervention.
More insights
Femi Akinwumi, MD/CEO of Refem Millers Limited, said the government must develop a comprehensive, actionable plan to immediately address killings in affected areas. He highlighted the need for better coordination among security agencies, improved intelligence gathering, and deployment of adequately trained personnel.
“Nigeria has nothing to withstand the firepower of America. The wise thing to do is to find a strong lobby team, with access to Trump to request an extension of any military intervention in Nigeria. The government should quickly come up with a blueprint on how to stop the killings in the affected areas, seek an audience, outlining what the government of Nigeria plans to do immediately,” his post on Facebook read.
Akinwumi also called for strengthening state and community police forces and regional security outfits, stressing that domestic measures must be implemented decisively to protect citizens and restore public confidence.
- Charles Novia, filmmaker and producer, emphasized the importance of pairing domestic security reforms with strategic diplomacy.
- He recommended that President Tinubu lead a high-powered delegation to meet Trump directly and appoint a credible ambassador to the U.S., suggesting Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina to advance Nigeria’s diplomatic interests.
- Novia noted that combining skillful negotiation with internal security reforms is crucial to preventing political and economic fallouts.
What you should know
On Saturday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected the designation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ by Trump, over alleged widespread killing of Christians, stating that the country has constitutional guarantees to protect citizen of all faiths.
President Tinubu insisted that the characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect national reality or take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion for all Nigerians.
