.Tinubu to meet US President over alleged Christian genocide— Presidency
.President saw the plot ahead, says Bayo Onanuga
.Nigeria won’t trade her flag for foreign boots- Lagos APC
.Why Christians, Muslims shouldn’t celebrate threat— Sowore
.US strike’ll make sense if directed at Boko Haram, ISIS, bandits- MURIC
IBRAHIM QUADRI
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, said on Sunday that the threat by President Donald Trump to invade Nigeria in the guise of fighting terrorism is an attempt to force the hand of President Bola Tinubu to negotiate with him with a view to widening market for American goods in Nigeria, especially weapons.
Spokesman of the body, Comrade Jare Ajayi, stated this in a statement made available to Daily Champion, saying the claim of genocide against Christians ‘is an excuse to further extraneous interests of America.”
“It is a known fact that the claim of genocide against Christians in Nigeria is not valid. Not that people are not being killed. The reality is that bandits and terrorists do not discriminate. Their target is economy. Those funding them are interested in the mineral resources underground. So, they sponsor bandits to cause mayhem in places where they spot mineral resources. When the people in those areas are displaced, the ‘sponsors’ step in and begin to exploit the resources.”
Afenifere spokesman said that Nigeria is a sovereign country. “The matter at hand falls within the purvey of what the government can and should deal with. And government, through its various security arms, is not resting on its oars. It is working on insecurity. Government can do more, certainly. The change of security chiefs is one of the steps being taken by Mr. President to buckle up on security.
“It is also on record that President Trump is acting like a bully going by his antics in different parts of the world. We urge him not to bring such to Nigeria.”
The Yoruba organization urged those who kept carrying information on seeming religious-induced genocide to think of the damages they are doing to the polity.
“When you deride your country, it is not always easy to undo the damages. As such, we should be mindful of what we say or write about our country”.
However, the Presidency has said that President Bola Tinubu will meet with his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, in the coming days to discuss allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, disclosed this in a post on X on Saturday, following Trump’s recent comments accusing the Nigerian government of ignoring attacks on Christians.
Bwala said the planned meeting would focus on counterterrorism cooperation and clarifying misconceptions about the nature of terrorist attacks in Nigeria.
“Both President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump have shared interests in the fight against insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity,” Bwala wrote.
“President Trump has assisted Nigeria a lot by authorizing the sale of arms, and President Tinubu has adequately utilised that opportunity in the fight against terrorism, with massive results to show for it.
“As for the differences as to whether terrorists in Nigeria target only Christians or all faiths, those would be discussed and resolved by the two leaders when they meet in the coming days, either in the State House or White House.”
Trump recently threatened military action against Nigeria, warning that the United States could suspend aid to the country over alleged persecution of Christians.
Trump’s threat follows weeks-long accusations by a US lawmaker, Riley Moore, who alleged “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians” in Nigeria and called the country the deadliest place in the world for followers of the faith, a claim the federal government has repeatedly debunked.
In a statement on October 6, Moore urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take immediate diplomatic action and called for Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and for the suspension of arms sales until the Nigerian government demonstrates a “tangible commitment” to ending the violence.
Consequently, on Friday, Trump declared Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern’ in response to allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
He wrote, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’
“But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!
“I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter and report back to me.”
On Saturday, Trump further said he has asked the Pentagon to map out a possible plan of attack.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians,” he added.
Bwala, however, maintained that both leaders share a firm commitment to tackling insurgency and terrorism and strengthening cooperation in global peace and security.
Speaking in similar vein, Special Adviser to the President on Informantion and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga said Tinubu was well ahead of the orchestrated game unfolding in America as he told the new service chiefs on Thursday what Nigerians expect of them.
“Security threats are constantly evolving, constantly mutating. Of grave concern to our administration is the recent emergence of new armed groups in the North-Central, North-West, and parts of the South. We must not allow these new threats to fester. We must be decisive and proactive. Let us smash the new snakes right in the head.
“I charge you, as the heads of our nation’s armed forces, to carry out your duties with patriotic zeal. Nigerians expect results, not excuses.
“I charge you also to be innovative, pre-emptive, and courageous. Let’s stay ahead of those who seek to threaten our peace. Let us deploy technology where necessary. We cannot allow the crisis that began in 2009 to persist any longer.
“I wish you success as you take up the challenge. I promise to provide all the support you need to get the job done,” he quoted the President to have said.
Also, key notable Nigerians including human right activist, Omoyele Sowore and organizations have reacted to Trump’s threat.
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Nigerians not to allow divisive rhetoric infiltrate the country, saying the country won’t trade her flag for foreign boots.
The Publicity Secretary of the party in the State, Seye Oladejo made the remark in a statement made available to newsmen.
Oladejo said, “Any Nigerian who prays, whispers, types, retweets or amplifies the fantasy of foreign military intervention is not an activist – they are traitors to the flag and enemies of the Republic.
“If your political heartbreak has matured into treasonous daydreams, then your problem is no longer political – it is suicidal.
“It is no coincidence that after months of coordinated demarketing and deliberate misinformation sold to the international community by frustrated opposition actors, we are now seeing the dangerous ripple effects of their propaganda,”
Continuing, the party added, “Those romanticizing American jets flying over Lagos should take a tour of Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan. Nations do not recover from that type of foolishness – and those who cheer the loudest online are always the first to flee.
“A US invasion does not bring democracy. It brings devastation, disintegration, and domination.
“No winners. Only rubble, body bags, and foreign interests smiling. The end results will be sorrow, regrets, tears and blood.”
Oladejo maintained that President Bola Tinubu is stabilizing the economy, repairing global partnerships, restoring security architecture, and laying foundations for a stronger, more prosperous nation.
“We will not trade our flag for foreign boots. We will not exchange our destiny for pity from outsiders. We will not allow the tantrums of bitter losers to rewrite our fate,” Oladejo stated.
In his reaction, human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has warned Nigerians against celebrating the possible United States military intervention in the country, saying such action could lead to greater instability rather than peace.
Sowore stated in a Facebook post on Sunday that United States President Donald Trump’s threat to launch military action in Nigeria under the pretext of protecting Christians might seem appealing to some, but history shows that foreign interventions often bring destruction instead of security.
He noted that people of all faiths and beliefs — Christians, Muslims, animists, and non-religious should resist welcoming such rhetoric, stressing that previous U.S. interventions in nations like Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria left them more unstable than before.
According to him, Nigeria does not need external rescue but rather accountable leadership that ensures justice, protects all citizens, and breaks the cycles of corruption and violence responsible for the country’s decay.
Sowore added that Trump’s actions are not driven by genuine concern for Nigerians or their faiths, asserting that the nation’s redemption must come from within through true leadership and national renewal.
He wrote, “The latest threat by U.S. President Donald J. Trump to launch military action in Nigeria, allegedly to protect Christians, may sound appealing to some. Still, history has shown this to be perilous.
“Whether you are Christian, Muslim, animist, or non-religious, no one should celebrate such rhetoric. The United States and its allies have a long record of military interventions that leave nations more unstable than before. They failed to secure peace in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, or Syria, and they won’t bring salvation to Nigeria through bombs or boots on the ground.
“What Nigeria truly needs is not a foreign savior, but legitimate, accountable leadership, one that protects all citizens, upholds justice, and ends the cycles of corruption and violence that have left the nation broken.
“@realDonaldTrump does not care about Nigerians not Christians, Muslims, or anyone else. Our deliverance will never come from abroad; it must come from within, through real leadership (not the Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s of this world) and national renewal.”
His comment came shortly after Trump, in a post on his Truth Social account on Saturday, instructed the U.S. War Department to prepare for a possible strike in Nigeria.
He accused the Nigerian government of turning a blind eye to what he described as the “genocide of Christians” across the country.
On its part, an Islamic human rights organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has called for calm over Trump’s threat to invade Nigeria.
In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, on Sunday, 2nd November, 2025, the group said US strikes will make sense if they are directed at terrorist groups like Boko Haram, ISIS and ISWAP but such strikes will be considered aggression and a resumption of the Christian crusade if innocent Muslims and mosques are targeted.
“Taken contextually, Trump’s threat should be seen as directed at terrorist groups. If that is so, our response to the threat is simple and straightforward.
“Terrorists are not part of us. Their methods stand in contradistinction to the tenets of Islam. We condemn terrorism and we will not associate with those who kill and maim. We reject ideologies of kidnapping and extortion. They are alien to Islam.
”Regarding President Trump’s threat, Nigerians should remain calm. There is no cause for alarm particularly for peace-loving and law-abiding Muslims and other Nigerians.
”US strikes will make sense if they are directed at terrorist groups like Boko Haram, ISIS and ISWAP who have been killing both Muslims and Christians. Bandits who have been kidnapping both Muslims and Christians should also be on Trump’s hit list. Trump and the US will be hailed if this is the objective.
”The truth is that the Nigerian government has been fighting these criminals. Our gallant soldiers have been in the trenches all along against these enemies of humanity. Both our government and the good people of Nigeria will be glad if America will confront them. We need such help and it will be good riddance to bad rubbish if every Boko Haram, ISIS and ISWAP element in this country can be eliminated.”
”But such strikes will be considered aggression and a resumption of the Christian crusade of the 19th century if innocent Muslims and mosques are targeted or if Muslim leaders are attacked or become victims of rendition and the attendant waterboarding.”
