Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a former presidential adviser, has requested that President Bola Tinubu speak to the country about the current threat of a military invasion by US President Donald Trump against Nigeria.
Baba-Ahmed expressed concern that the president had not yet personally addressed Nigerians about the incident in a statement he shared on his Facebook page on Thursday.
The president’s silence, according to Baba-Ahmed, conveys a concerning message about Nigerian leadership.
“President Tinubu should have spoken to Nigerians by now if he truly has capable advisers and understands the weight of his office,” the author said. Ministers and their aides should refrain from making statements at this time. The President himself ought to comfort the nation, make our stance clear, and lay out the actions his administration plans to take. We come across as helpless and weak when we keep quiet.
He also warned against the president’s intention to visit the US to meet with Trump, calling such a move “ill-advised.”
“Tinubu shouldn’t even consider traveling to America to see Trump at this crucial time. It would only make Nigeria’s reputation worse, he said, “like getting slapped and grinning back.”
Thus, Baba-Ahmed encouraged the president to take decisive action.
He declared, “Tinubu needs to act right away—appoint ambassadors, rebuild Nigeria’s diplomatic presence, and address the nation directly—if he truly listens to those who care about this country.”
The Bola Tinubu government completely denied the prior reports that Trump had threatened to send American armed forces to Nigeria if the purported genocide against Christians was not halted.
China, on the other hand, stated on Tuesday that it supports Nigeria and that it is against any foreign meddling under the pretext of human rights or religion.
At a press conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning declared, “As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs and threatening other countries with sanctions and force.”
In response to inquiries over Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria, Ning made the comments.
Its inclusion on the U.S. list of nations that violate religious freedom was denied on Wednesday by the Federal Government, which insisted that the designation is due to “inaccurate data and misrepresentation” of the country’s security issues.
Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s minister of information, made it clear that both Muslims and Christians have experienced extremist violence and that the country is dealing with terrorism rather than religious persecution.
“Claims of targeted religious persecution are denied by the government. Over 11,000 captives have been freed and over 13,500 insurgents have been neutralized since 2023 by President Tinubu’s government. Nigeria is still willing to work with the United States on counterterrorism while emphasizing respect for each other’s sovereignty,” he stated.
Nigeria still places a high priority on “the protection of all citizens regardless of religious affiliation,” the minister continued.
Trump reaffirmed Wednesday night that if the purported persecution of Christians in Nigeria goes unchecked, he is prepared to take direct action.
“In Nigeria, Christianity is under existential threat,” he declared. The United States cannot watch helplessly as similar crimes occur there and in many other nations. We are prepared, willing, and capable of saving the world’s great Christian population!
