Beyond Trump's Threat Message

By Busy Brain

On October 31 2025, Nigerians woke up to read a tweet on X, formerly known as Twitter made by the United States President, Donald Trump on the constant incendiary, killings, and maiming of Christians in Nigeria. Donald Trump announced the redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for severe violations of religious freedom. The next day, in a follow-up social media post, Trump threatened military action against Nigeria, as well as a full cutoff of US aid to the country, if its government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.”

The message stirred up heated arguments, debates, and contrary views and opinions regarding the tweet capable of tearing the country apart. From all the geopolitical zones, it was a mixed feeling, a solace vs. fear.

I need not to join the bandwagon of netizens accusing Trump of coming down to lord over the resources. The idea of linking the tweet to natural resources by some commentators was too primitive and primordial. Nigeria is a sovereign nation, and the era of the slave trade has come and gone.

Regardless of Trump’s motive, this time around, the United States President got it wrong by tagging killings in Nigeria as a genocide against Christians. Of course, thousands of Muslims have been killed, maimed, destroyed and myriad still awaiting burial installments, internally displaced.

Absolutely, there is more to Trump’s threat message, which is obviously beyond the protection of Christians. No sane Nigerian will celebrate this as an egress to ‘catastrophal’ incendiarism happening intermittently across regions. It appears more like fanning the ember of discord among religious groups in Nigeria to secure a soft landing for evasion.

As a matter of fact, no sovereign nation will stand akimbo and watch this heightened level of temerity undermine the peaceful coexistence of its territory. As Nigerians, this is not the right time to play the blame game. Definitely, Nigeria is facing security challenges, but it has no peculiarity.

In recent times, it has been observed that the fear of Trump is the beginning of security beefing up in Nigeria. Prior to Trump’s threat, the Nigerian government seemed to pay deaf ears to the hue and cry of the citizens living under heavy security threats. What Nigerians are used to after a horrendous and terrifying experience in the hands of bandits is a note of condemnation of the attack and, in rare instances, courtesy visits. The government fights with press releases to condemn the attack and later attends peace talks with the attackers.

One of the advantages of Trump’s threat is putting the government on its toes to take more action on security challenges; the activities of the Nigerian troops have been intensified with aggressive attacks on the bandits.

On November 9, 2025, the troops of Operation Hadin Kai Joint Task Force of the North-East rescued 86 kidnapped victims and destroyed a major Boko Haram/ISWAP camp in a decisive operation in the Buratai–Kamuya axis of Borno State.

Also on November 12, 2025, soldiers of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) killed one suspected bandit and recovered a large cache of arms during a raid on a criminals’ hideout in the Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.

On 16 November 2026, the Nigerian Army airlifted 348 personnel into and out of the Operation Hadin Kai theatre in the second Chief of Army Staff Welfare Flight for November.

From all indications, troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, AFN, have intensified operations across the country, neutralizing scores of terrorists, rescuing 67 kidnapped victims, and arresting 94 criminal suspects in two weeks. The Nigerian troops are more assertive and aggressive in the fights against terrorists. The Trump’s effect has reinforced more action, more efforts from all the stakeholders.

Yes! Until governments begin to take bold decisions to execute terrorists, the international community will never take the fights against terrorism and banditry seriously.

Beyond Trump’s threat message, the government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has the responsibility to protect the lives and properties of every citizen. Whether Christian or Muslim, all lives matter. Like the military slogan, Victory only from God. May our troops continue to be victorious.