Hundreds of Muslim groups and their supporters on Saturday marched through the streets of Kano, rejecting US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks accusing Nigeria of allowing a Christian genocide and threatening military intervention.
The demonstrators, in a video circulating online showed protesters raising placards which also had Trump’s image while also chanting anti-US slogans.
The protesters described his comments as false and dangerous, warning that they risk deepening religious divisions in Nigeria.
“There is no Christian genocide in Nigeria,” some of the placards read while most of what was chanted was in the Hausa language.
The protesters moved from the Kano Central Mosque to Sabon Gari under the watch of security personnel. The rally remained peaceful.
Trump had last week placed Nigeria on America’s list of Countries of Particular Concern over alleged persecution of Christians, accusing the government of turning a blind eye to horrific atrocities.
He also directed the Pentagon to prepare options which could include military intervention, should Abuja fail to act, which has sparked diplomatic tension and strong domestic reactions.
Nigeria’s government swiftly dismissed the claims, insisting that the country faces a generalised security crisis affecting both Christians and Muslims.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris described the statement as misguided, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Washington’s characterisation does not reflect the complex realities of Nigeria’s security landscape.
Islamic groups in the north have accused Trump of attempting to weaponise religion against Nigeria.
Tensions have grown since Trump’s remarks, with religious and political figures weighing in.
On Friday, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, called on President Bola Tinubu to engage diplomatically with Washington and seek a 90-day grace period to demonstrate concrete progress in countering terrorism.
He warned that any confrontation could bring untold hardship to innocent Nigerians.
China and Russia have also expressed opposition to any foreign military action in Nigeria. In a statement issued from Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry said Nigeria’s sovereignty must be respected and urged dialogue and cooperation, not coercion.
The African Union echoed the position, cautioning that external intervention could destabilise the region further.
Nigeria has been grappling with years of insecurity, including Islamist insurgency in the northeast, communal clashes in the Middle Belt, and armed banditry in the northwest.
The Guardian reported that a research by Amnesty International in August 2025, declared more than 1,800 people were killed in the southeast alone between 2021 and 2023, with both Christians and Muslims among the victims.
