A coalition under the platform of the Concerned Nigerians for Human Security has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the heightened federal actions currently being deployed to control the escalating terror killings and banditry in Zamfara State.
The coalition, led by Mr. Adolphus Ewuga, however, said the crisis has reached such a grave humanitarian proportion that international pressure has become inevitable. Consequently, it urged former U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene to help break what it described as a cycle of mass murder and displacement in the state.
In an open letter to Trump, Ewuga said the security situation in Zamfara has deteriorated to the point where thousands of men, women, and children have been killed, kidnapped, or violently pushed out of their ancestral communities by armed gangs. He described the scale of destruction as “a humanitarian catastrophe that deserves the attention of global moral leadership.”
The group alleged that despite billions of naira voted annually for security in the state, widespread attacks have persisted, insisting that this reflects a tragic collapse of accountability in the management of public safety resources.
It specifically appealed to Trump to consider targeted sanctions, including visa bans on political actors alleged to have looked the other way, mentioning Governor Dauda Lawal as an example of those who must be held to account.
According to the coalition, such measures would apply the kind of shock pressure that compels responsibility because “leadership is a moral burden, not an entitlement to luxury.”
The coalition emphasised that the killings in Zamfara cannot be reduced to a religious narrative, stressing that both Muslims and Christians have suffered heavy casualties. It argued that the violence is not faith-driven but a direct result of leadership failure, negligence, and misappropriation of security funds.
While acknowledging ongoing federal military deployments and recent strategic reinforcements authorised by President Tinubu, the group insisted that federal responses will continue to yield limited results if the state leadership in Zamfara is not held to accountability standards.
It therefore urged the Federal Government to consider declaring a full emergency in the state.
The petition concluded that Nigeria must not normalise the level of carnage in Zamfara and called for international solidarity to halt the atrocities and restore dignity to affected communities.
Trump’s Threat of Military Action in Nigeria
Trump had threatened military intervention in Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to protect Christians from violent attacks. His remarks, posted on his Truth Social account over the weekend, warned that Washington could “immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” and “go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing” if the killings continued.
The statement followed weeks of lobbying by US lawmakers and conservative Christian groups urging Trump to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” for alleged religious persecution. Such a designation would place Nigeria alongside Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and China.
Analysts say Trump’s comments reflect pressure from his evangelical base, which has long demanded a tougher stance on the treatment of Christians abroad.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emphasised Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. “Nigeria is a democracy with constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” he said, adding that portraying the country as intolerant “does not reflect our national reality.”
Presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala described Trump’s comments as “a miscommunication” and expressed hope that both leaders would resolve differences if they meet. He insisted that “a data-driven assessment” rather than “isolated reports and social media videos” should guide international conclusions. Bwala further stated that any military action “would only happen if it is a joint action with the Nigerian government,” reaffirming Nigeria’s sovereignty.
