A former Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor, has urged the Federal Government to handle United States President, Donald Trump’s claim of a Christian genocide in Nigeria and his warning of potential military intervention, with utmost seriousness.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme on Tuesday, Ejiofor advised that the government swiftly activate diplomatic efforts to prevent any escalation of the matter.
“I think the Federal Government should take Donald Trump seriously. I’m calling on the Nigerian government to explore all diplomatic channels,” he said.
Trump had, in a post on his Truth Social platform last week, accused Nigerian authorities of tolerating mass killings of Christians and threatened to respond with military force.
The U.S. government has since reclassified Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged infringements on religious freedom.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that… country ‘guns-a-blazing’,” Trump wrote, claiming he had instructed the U.S. Department of War to prepare for “possible action.”
Although Nigeria’s government has dismissed the allegations as baseless and reiterated its commitment to religious freedom, Ejiofor cautioned that Trump’s statements should not be taken lightly.
“You see, it is a very serious matter when you talk of Donald Trump. He says what he wants to do, and he will go ahead to do it. So, it is not a play that we can gloss over. It is a threat,” he warned.
Ejiofor added that while it remains Nigeria’s responsibility to tackle its internal security challenges, the government must also act carefully to avoid diplomatic tension that could strain ties with the U.S. or lead to wider conflict.
“This is not something to ignore. We must move quickly through diplomatic means to manage the situation and defend the country’s sovereignty,” he emphasised.
