•Tinubu well ahead of orchestrated game unfolding in America, says Onanuga
Former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso has expressed concern over the U.S. President, Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular interest”, saying “the insecurity we face does not distinguish based on religious, ethnic, or political beliefs”, amid alleged genocide against Christians.
Reacting to the declaration through a post on his Facebook page, Kwankwaso wrote: “I have noted with increasing concern the heightened pronouncements on Nigeria by President Donald Trump. This follows his designation of Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern”.
He stressed that Nigeria remains a sovereign nation facing security challenges caused by outlaws, not by religion or ethnicity.
The former Minister of Defence urged the U.S. to support Nigeria with modern technology to fight insecurity instead of issuing threats.
“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”, he said.
He also called on the Nigerian government to engage with the US diplomatically.
“The Nigerian government should also consider appointing special envoys from its distinguished diplomats to engage the American government. Additionally, it is necessary to appoint permanent ambassadors to represent Nigeria’s interests on the international stage”, he said.
Kwankwaso, however, appealed to Nigerians to remain united to battle the burgeoning challenges facing the country.
“To my fellow countrymen, this is an important moment where we should emphasise unity of belonging over division. God bless Nigeria”, he wrote.
Besides, Special Adviser to
President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Responding, said Tinubu had already taken proactive steps by reshuffling the nation’s security leadership and issuing a clear directive for a more aggressive and technology-backed counter-terrorism strategy.
According to Onanuga, “President Bola 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. No more excuses… Nigerians want results”, he wrote on X.
He added that, Tinubu, while charging his newly-appointed service chiefs during a security briefing, warned that emerging threats in the North Central, North-West, and some parts of the South must be crushed immediately.
“Security threats are constantly evolving. We must not allow these new threats to fester. Let us smash the new snakes right in the head”, Tinubu said.
In another development the Presidency confirmed that Tinubu is scheduled to meet the U.S. President, Donald Trump, soon, either at the State House in Abuja or the White House in Washington to address what it describes as differences in perception regarding Nigeria’s security situation.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, said both leaders remained aligned on defeating terrorism, pointing out that they differ on the religious framing of the crisis.
“There will be discussions to resolve whether terrorists in Nigeria target only Christians or all faiths”, Bwala noted.
Trump had, recently, designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, over alleged religious persecution.
However, Tinubu dismissed the categorisation, insisting that Nigeria is a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
The Presidency maintains that terrorism in Nigeria is not religion-specific, noting that Muslims, churches, mosques, and local communities of various faiths suffer attacks.
Meanwhile, a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Angelo Chidi Unegbu has thrown weight behind President Trump on the designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern.
Fr. Unegbu insisted that Trump was right in his decision to tackle the alleged massacre of Christians in Nigeria.
The US decision had triggered mixed reactions across the country.
While some citizens, particularly Christians, are celebrating the move, others believe the security crisis in Nigeria has nothing to do with religion.
Fr. Angelo in a statement posted on his Facebook page yesterday alleged that himself and others “have been appealing to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu all this while to stop the killings”.
The cleric said they had been reminding Tinubu that he had “all it takes to stop insecurity and injustice in Nigeria, but he paid deaf ears to our pleas”, stressing that “humans are slaughtered daily like cows”.
He argued that terrorists in Nigeria are “walking freely”, while “harmless agitators and protesters have either been killed by the same government or are in jail”.
In another post, the clergy said “if the US comes to our aid, the chances are 50/50, but if not, our doom is sealed”.
“And if the US doesn’t come, who will help us? What are the plans to stop the killings? Donald J. Trump, please come quickly”, he added.
Trump, in a series of statements at the weekend, warned that the United States would cut off aid, label Nigeria a pariah, and could deploy troops “guns-a-blazing” if the Nigerian government fails to halt what he termed “horrible atrocities” against Christians.
He ordered the newly-renamed Department of War to “prepare for possible action”.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth echoed Trump’s warning in a separate statement on X: “Either the Nigerian Government protects Christians, or we will kill the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities”.
He added that preparations were under way for potential military operations targeting extremist groups accused of sectarian attacks.
