In response to military chiefs’ promises of enhanced security and a thaw in US-Nigeria relations, Nigerians have encouraged President Bola Tinubu to increase attacks on terrorist sanctuaries.
Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, told The Guardian yesterday that the federal government is discussing President Donald Trump’s military threat with the US.
The minister said diplomatic channels are helping the two governments reconcile. Communication channels are open. I can affirm that we are communicating with them, and I think they understand better,” he said.
However, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, Senior Economic Adviser at Africa Economic Development Policy Initiative, has urged for an end to the carnage.
She said that over 90% of the 2014 Chibok girls were Christians until being radicalized, corroborating the genocide charge.
“What use are ‘leaders’ who do not value their people’s lives? What kind of humanity do leaders and society support such failures?
“Of what future are a people who allow such evil to become normal in their country while they ‘debate’ about mass killings of their fellow countrymen, women, and children to determine if it is ‘genocide’?”
Her example was the 2014 kidnapping of 300 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno State and how Nigerian politicians debated the loss of human life until it went out of hand.
Orji Uzor Kalu, former Abia State governor and Abia North senator, called Trump’s remarks on Nigeria’s insecurity “nothing but the truth.”
Kalu told journalists at the National Assembly complex in Abuja that Trump’s comments regarding religiously-motivated deaths in Nigeria are not unwarranted, adding that extremist violence has targeted Christians and Muslims nationwide.
“Donald Trump didn’t lie. Both Christians and Muslims are being killed in Nigeria, he said.
Plateau attacks usually target Christians; Zamfara Muslims. Jihadists. We must call them what they are—they want to destroy Nigeria.
Before President Trump said anything, the American intelligence community probably validated the facts. It appears that the Nigerian Air Force has increased operations in recent days, potentially based on U.S. intelligence, he said.
He criticized the U.S. and its allies for destabilizing Africa by allowing weaponry to proliferate after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein.
This comes after the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) strongly disagreed with Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s claim that Christians are killing Christians in the South-East forests, claiming that armed Fulani militants are responsible.
Intersociety Chairman Emeka Umeagbalasi stated Jihadist Fulani extremists are infiltrating 950 woodland places in 800 of the region’s 1,940 autonomous communities in the South-East.
He said Fulani militants had killed, abducted, and displaced residents, destroyed property, and attacked churches under the pretense of religion.
Umeagbalasi stated at least 14 Christian parishes in Enugu State have been assaulted in the past four years, killing over 117 worshippers. In January 2022, 40 parishioners were ambushed in Eha-Amufu, Isi-Uzo, and eight rotting remains were found and buried in a church property.
Intersociety reports that jihadist settlements in the South-East have increased from 10 in 2018 to 950 by 2025, with militants expanding into Igbo-inhabited Delta, Edo, Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa, Rivers, and Cross River states.
In response to escalating attacks on Christians in Nigeria, US Congressman Bill Huizenga has called for targeted economic sanctions rather than military intervention.
In an exclusive interview with Arise News in Washington, D.C., Huizenga, one of the lawmakers supporting President Trump’s decision to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, said he was “shocked” by Trump’s recent comments suggesting a possible U.S. invasion but that religious persecution must be addressed.
Huizenga cautioned that Nigeria risks repeating Rwanda and South Sudan tragedies without quick action.
“We were late on Rwanda and South Sudan. We shouldn’t be late again, he remarked.
The Congressman noted that Fulani militants and extremist Islamist groups had attacked Christians and moderate Muslims.
In his personal conversations, religious leaders and locals recalled being attacked in their houses and “feeling very much targeted.”
Huizenga denied Trump’s viral allegation that Christianity faces an existential threat in Nigeria, saying he doesn’t expect a military strike.
“I don’t envision a surprise attack or military response,” he said. “Economic pressure and sanctions on individuals and organizations work better. Money and travel were cut off by sanctions. We don’t know who’s funding these operations, but economic pressure will help.”
Huizenga also criticized the Nigerian government’s indifference to the violence.
Former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode warned that a diplomatic meeting between President Tinubu and President Trump could result in the latter verbally and savagely assaulting, insulting, and berating the Nigerian leader.
Fani-Kayode called the scheduled meeting incomprehensible and claimed that Trump wants to start a religious conflict to exploit Nigeria’s natural riches, threatening Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The former minister said this in a keynote lecture at the 2025 Law Week celebration of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Akure Branch, with the topic ‘Nigeria: Quest for Utilitarian Judiciary and Roles for Stakeholders’.
In his speech titled ‘Bow to God and Not to Trump,’ Fani-Kayode called for the annihilation of all terrorist groups in the country and opposed any negotiation or reconciliation with them, arguing that their violence is not religious.
He stated, “Our political leadership and armed forces must muster the resolve and political will to ruthlessly wipe out the Islamist terrorists and foreign militias once and for all. President Tinubu alone must fulfill that commitment.
“The world and Nigerian people want to see concrete action and the implementation of extraordinarily ruthless, violent, and aggressive methods, not just long talk, promises of success, or outworn platitudes from government officials.
Former Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has also urged President Tinubu to use state authority to end insecurity or quit.
Adebayo made the call at the 2025 National Electoral Reform Summit, where he discussed Nigeria’s democratic future and governance shortcomings.
“To that problem: President Tinubu can use the bullets to kill the terrorists or use the pen to resign.”
He believes Nigeria’s insecurity situation is caused by authority abuse for personal gain.
“They are using the security as an excuse to loot all the money,” he stated.
According to my knowledge, the Nigerian military can defend West Africa if allowed. They cannot protect their barracks if you tell them not to.”
After briefing President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), assured Nigerians of enhanced security in the coming weeks.
following the closed-door meeting, the Army Chief told State House Correspondents that his current assessment of military operations, particularly following his recent Northeast visit, showed consistent success and increased impetus against insurgent and criminal groups.
The army chief boldly predicted “Improved security across the country” for Nigerians.
Shaibu said his briefing to the president focused on his Northeast theatre operational trip, where he met frontline troops, analyzed operational methods, and examined new security trends.
He said his conversations with the president included bandit, kidnapping, and communal upheaval updates from different locations.
Yesterday, the Independent Media and Policy Initiative (IMPI) reported that President Tinubu’s administration bought $801 million in US military assets in 18 months.
IMPI chairman Dr. Omoniyi Akinsiju indicated in a policy statement that the acquisition cost N1.15 trillion as part of the administration’s defense modernization drive.
Akinsiju called the procurement a bold show of the administration’s commitment to national security and military capabilities.
He said 2024 saw Nigeria’s biggest arms import spending, more than N520 billion, accounting for 67% of its total imports between 2020 and 2024.
Akinsiju said the $455 million purchase of 12 Bell Textron AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters to assist counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations was a highlight.
He added that Nigeria signed a $346 million agreement in August 2025 for over 1,000 MK-82 bombs, 5,000 APKWS rounds, logistics, and training.
He said the package improves the Nigerian military’s precision-strike capacity and operational readiness against Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandits.
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