• Nobel laureate likens Trump to Idi Amin, blames leaders for sectarian violence
• CNG says U.S. President’s concern for ‘persecuted Christians’ a smokescreen
• FG assures Tinubu can manage diplomatic fallout
• Tinubu briefed on how land-grabbing, banditry worsen N’Central violence

Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka, the Coalition of Northern Groups, and the Federal Government have separately challenged U.S. President Donald Trump’s genocide claims, arguing his military threats misrepresent Nigeria’s security challenges as religious persecution when violence from extremism, banditry, and resource conflicts affects all communities regardless of faith.

Soyinka warned Trump against making sweeping statements about religious persecution, saying such could heighten tensions and misrepresent the realities of the country’s security situation.

Trump recently directed the U.S. Department of Defence to prepare for “possible action” in Nigeria and urged the Nigerian government to act swiftly to stop what he described as the “killing of Christians.” The Federal Government has since rejected the allegation, insisting that insecurity affects Nigerians of all faiths.

Speaking in an interview with Democracy Now, Soyinka said Trump’s portrayal of the crisis as targeted attacks against Christians oversimplifies a complex conflict and risks fuelling religious hostilities.

“We must separate Nigeria’s long-standing internal problems from President Trump’s recent response,” he said.

“The Christian–Islam, or Islam-versus-the-rest kind of dichotomy has existed for decades. It became truly horrendous when politics got mixed up with religious differences.”

Soyinka explained that extremist groups have weaponised religion for political and economic gain, while political leaders have failed to hold perpetrators accountable, allowing impunity to thrive. He cited the lynching of a student accused of blasphemy, whose killers boasted on video yet escaped punishment, as an example of how justice failures worsen perceptions of a religious war.

“In truth, we are dealing with extremists: political Islamists, known sometimes as ISWAP or Boko Haram, not with Muslims as a people,” he stressed, noting that these groups have ties to global terror networks and access to advanced weapons that challenge Nigeria’s military.

The playwright criticised successive Nigerian governments for failing to confront violent fundamentalism early enough. “When we have sweeping statements like Trump’s, it doesn’t make things easier. It expands the regions of hostility and makes peaceful resolution even more difficult,” he said.

Asked to comment on Trump’s choice of words, “We will act very vicious and sweet”, Soyinka said: “He should be flattered I compared him to Idi Amin.”

Soyinka added that discussions on Nigeria’s security must prioritise tackling extremism, ensuring justice, and avoiding rhetoric capable of igniting religious or ethnic divisions.

Northern groups accuse U.S. of spreading falsehood, warn against interference
SIMILARLY, the Coalition of Northern Groups condemned what it described as “reckless, arrogant, and deeply provocative” remarks by Trump.

The group dismissed what it called the “false and divisive” Western portrayal of violence in Nigeria as religiously one-sided, arguing that available data disproved such claims.

National Coordinator, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, stated this in Abuja during a press briefing, saying Trump’s comments were ignorant, misleading, and capable of fuelling sectarian tensions at a time when Nigerians were striving to overcome insecurity and division.

He noted that in 2024 alone, 9,662 people were killed in violent incidents nationwide, with 86 per cent of the deaths occurring in the northern region: 41 per cent in the North-West, 25.9 per cent in the North-East, and 19.3 per cent in the North-Central.

He said: “Trump’s outburst followed a manipulated petition engineered by Amnesty International, using the voice of its Nigeria Country Director, Isa Sunusi, cynically deployed to give credibility to a toxic Western narrative.

“This petition, dressed up as ‘human rights advocacy,’ is part of a broader campaign to vilify Nigeria and justify foreign interference under humanitarian pretences. Let us be clear: there is no genocide against Christians in Nigeria. There is a national security crisis affecting all Nigerians, Muslims, Christians, and others alike.”

Citing verified data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), Charanchi said that between January 2020 and September 2025, more than 20,400 civilians were killed in violent attacks across Nigeria. Of the incidents where religion could be verified, 317 Christian deaths and 417 Muslim deaths were recorded, an indication, he said, that both communities suffer equally from insecurity.

He added: “The claim of a ‘Christian genocide’ is not a misunderstanding; it is a strategic deception. It serves geopolitical interests aimed at destabilising Nigeria and justifying future interventions.

“For decades, the United States and its allies have used ‘human rights’ as camouflage for resource control and political dominance from Iraq to Libya. They create a moral crisis, weaponise global outrage, and then move in under the guise of ‘liberation.’ Nigeria will not be the next experiment.

“Trump’s sudden concern for ‘persecuted Christians’ is a smokescreen. His record shows indifference to African lives. What truly offends him is Nigeria’s growing diplomatic independence, our increasing ties with China, Russia, and the Global South, and our resistance to neo-colonial pressure.”

Charanchi cited security analyst Bulama Bukarti, who warned in October 2025 that changing service chiefs without institutional reform would not solve Nigeria’s insecurity, stressing that the crisis was rooted in weak governance and institutional decay, not religion.

The group also recalled the Zaria massacre of December 2015, where over 340 members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), mostly Shiite Muslims, were killed, accusing Western governments of silence despite reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

CNG further criticised the West for allegedly ignoring the violent activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which it said had killed more than 600 Northerners since 2021 through targeted attacks, road ambushes, and the enforcement of illegal sit-at-home orders in the South-East.

The coalition warned that failure to control Nigeria’s internal narrative and security situation could lead to instability spreading across the Sahel region.

“While foreign actors romanticise IPOB as victims, they ignore the group’s atrocities against Northerners. Trump and his enablers choose silence because it doesn’t fit their pre-packaged narrative.

“The Coalition of Northern Groups will continue to stand for truth, justice, and national sovereignty. We will not remain silent while foreign powers insult our dignity, distort our reality, and play politics with our blood. May Almighty God console all victims, Muslim and Christian alike, and grant our leaders the wisdom to steer this nation toward peace and justice,” he said.

FG urges calm, says Tinubu capable of handling diplomatic fallouts
ALSO, the Federal Government appealed to Nigerians to remain calm following the remarks by President Trump. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the appeal in Dutse, Jigawa State, yesterday during a courtesy visit to Governor Umar Namadi.

Idris said there was no cause for alarm, assuring citizens that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has the capacity to manage any diplomatic tension that may arise and to maintain Nigeria’s strong international relationships.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has all it takes to secure Nigeria from destabilising elements, as well as mend any cracks in our nation’s relationship with our international friends and partners. As such, Nigerians should please remain calm,” he said.

The Minister, who was in Jigawa to attend the North-West 2025 Youth Parly and Presentation of the Achievements of President Tinubu after Two Years in Office, reiterated the government’s commitment to peace, unity, and sustained engagement with global partners.

His remarks followed widespread reactions to Trump’s statement, which has drawn condemnation across diplomatic circles, with many describing it as an unnecessary provocation capable of straining relations between the two countries.

Idris, however, stressed that the Tinubu administration remains focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions and promoting constructive international cooperation.

“The President’s leadership continues to project Nigeria as a stable, sovereign, and forward-looking nation,” he said.

Tinubu gets security briefings, told land-grabbing, banditry fuelling N’Central violence
MEANWHILE, historical mistrust, land-grabbing, banditry, and illegal mining are among the major causes of violence in Nigeria’s North-Central region, a senior presidential aide said yesterday as President Bola Tinubu received security and development briefings from his Community Engagement team.

Following the meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Dr Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-Central), stated that the delegation presented a unified assessment of security pressures, infrastructure challenges, and public feedback on government policies across the six geopolitical zones.

She said insecurity in the North-Central remains deeply rooted in long-standing tensions and resource conflicts.

“Our briefing focused heavily on insecurity, and we identified historical mistrust, land-grabbing, banditry, and illegal mining as major triggers of violence. The President has promised to strengthen peace structures and ensure our communities are safe,” Essiet said.

She disclosed that community peace structures have been established across 121 local councils, including 32 in Niger, 21 in Kogi, and 23 in Benue, with deployment scheduled this week in all 17 councils of Plateau State.

The structures, she explained, will involve traditional rulers, farmers’ associations, Fulani groups, youth, and women. Essiet also linked the worsening insecurity to poor road infrastructure, particularly along the Kogi–Kwara corridor, which she said bandits were exploiting. She noted that the President had promised to engage relevant ministries to address the issue.

In her report, the Special Assistant for the South-East, Chioma Nweze, said the zone had “hit the ground running” with the establishment of a Citizens’ Assembly to promote community engagement and deepen understanding of government policies. She said increased ministerial appointments and new road projects were restoring confidence that the Federal Government was now more visible in the region.

“It’s been long since we saw federal presence in the South-East. But now, we are seeing a lot of road construction courtesy of this administration,” Nweze said.

She also noted that the Monday sit-at-home directive was gradually easing and that the President had pledged support for skills development and agricultural programmes across the region’s 95 councils.

For the North-West, Abdullahi Tanko-Yakassai said his briefing focused on reducing the region’s high number of out-of-school children. He said his office had enrolled many vulnerable children in primary schools and provided uniforms, books, and other learning materials.

He reported improved agricultural output this season, though access to fertiliser remained a challenge, and said the President had promised intervention. Yakassai added that voter registration mobilisation was ongoing alongside sensitisation on the student loan scheme and tax reforms.

“We are the bridge between the Federal Government and the grassroots,” he said. From the South-West, Omoremi Ojudu described the discussions as “insightful,” saying the President emphasised the need to expand enrolment for the National Identification Number (NIN) as a foundation for lifelong identification.

She said the engagement team would intensify grassroots sensitisation to deepen understanding of the Renewed Hope Agenda and promote peacebuilding across communities.

“We owe it to ourselves to safeguard this country. We have nowhere else to go,” Ojudu said. She added that the President instructed the team to work closely with key stakeholders on livestock reforms in the North-Central region.

Representatives for the South-South and North-East zones were absent due to other official engagements. The Presidential Community Engagement Team was established to strengthen grassroots mobilisation and provide real-time feedback to the Presidency on policy implementation nationwide. Yesterday’s session formed part of routine consultations with the President.