Tension in Nigeria as Trump Threatens Military Action Over ‘Christian Genocide’ — Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, Amaechi Silent

A wave of anxiety has swept across Nigeria following United States President Donald Trump’s threat to launch a military intervention over what he described as the “mass slaughter” of Christians in the country.

Trump, on Friday, declared Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) — a designation reserved for nations accused of severe religious persecution. The US President claimed that Christians in Africa’s most populous nation face an “existential threat” and called on Congress to investigate the alleged killings.

In a fiery remark, Trump warned that the US might “come in guns blazing” if Nigerian authorities fail to curb what he described as Islamist attacks on Christians.

The comment has divided opinion across Nigeria — sparking alarm among government officials and Muslim groups, while some Christian leaders hailed the move as overdue international attention to their plight.

Government representatives and Islamic clerics, however, dismissed the allegations as exaggerated, accusing Washington of politicising Nigeria’s insecurity. Supporters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) insist that violence in the country cuts across all faiths and regions, not just Christianity.

Notably, key opposition figures — including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party’s Peter Obi — have yet to comment publicly on the controversy.
Similarly, former governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, known for their outspoken views on national issues, have remained quiet.

Public affairs analyst Moses Jibila believes their silence is politically calculated ahead of the 2027 elections.

“They are being careful because this is a very sensitive matter,” Jibila told Daily Post. “Atiku, for instance, risks alienating either Christians or Muslims depending on the side he takes. The same applies to Obi and others — it’s all about 2027 ambitions.”

This is not the first time Trump has placed Nigeria under the CPC list. He made a similar designation in 2020 before leaving office, a decision later reversed by the Joe Biden administration.

The Country of Particular Concern status stems from the US International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, which targets nations accused of “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”

Alongside Nigeria, countries such as China, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Eritrea, Cuba, and Russia are also on the list for alleged persecution of minority faiths.

Amid rising diplomatic tension, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to meet with Trump “in the coming days” to address the issue.

According to Daniel Bwala, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, the meeting will hold “either in the State House or the White House.”

Bwala expressed confidence that the talks would “clarify and resolve” the genocide allegations.