By Jane Okafor, Abuja
Nigerian opposition political party – African Democratic Congress (ADC) – has cautioned President Donald Trump and his country, the United States of America, against taking any military action in Nigeria following the alleged killings and persecutions of Christians in the country.
The ADC warned that any military action in Nigeria or a mere threat of it would prove to be counterproductive to the nation’s democratic aspiration, unity and stability.
The party stated this on Monday through its National Publicity, Bolaji Abdullahi, in reaction to the American government designation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) and threat of military action in the country by President Donald Trump over the alleged genocides of Christians.
The ADC, therefore, urged that the America’s concerns about killings in Nigeria should be converted into supporting the country’s efforts to grow her democracy and capacity to solve her own problems.
“We appreciate the American president and other world leaders for their concern about the security situation in our country. We will, however, urge that such concerns should be translated into supporting Nigeria to grow her democracy and develop its capacity to solve its own problems.
“We believe that mobilizing armed troops, or even a mere threat of doing so, would do more harm than good and ultimately prove counterproductive to our democratic aspiration and to the long-term unity and stability of our country.
“Nigeria is not beyond saving, but time is running out. We must act now, with courage, clarity, and a commitment to protect the lives and dignity of every Nigerian. Certainly, Nigeria cannot continue like this,” the party stated.
…Trump should support Nigeria’s fight against insecurity, not issue threats – AbdulSalami
Similarly, former military head of state, AbdulSalami Abubakar, has asked US President Donald Trump to support Nigeria’s fight against insecurity and not threat the country with military action.
AbdulSalami who was reacting to last Friday redesignation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern (CPC)” over claims of Christian genocide in the country, said Trump’s comments pose a “grave threat to the country’s hard-won unity.”
The former head of state urged Nigerians to put aside their differences and unite for the sovereignty of the country in the face of external threats.
“Unity, wisdom, and diplomacy must take precedence over division and pride at this critical moment,” he said.
He added that there is a need for strategic dialogue with Trump to address the issues and de-escalate the tension.
However, below is full text of the ADC’s statement…
ADC: OUR RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S DESIGNATION OF NIGERIA AS A COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN.
Following the action taken by U.S. President Donald Trump on October 31, 2025, designating Nigeria as a country of particular concern, the ADC wishes to respond as follows:
1. We are guided by the painful reality that what is really at stake on this issue are the thousands of human lives that have been lost to insecurity in Nigeria, irrespective of their tribe, religion, or region. We therefore seize this moment to pay tribute to the memory of all the victims and express our deepest sympathies to their families.
2. The statement by President Trump reminds us of the greater global concern about the sanctity of human life, and the cardinal responsibility of national governments to protect the lives of people who live within their borders. It reminds us that in the modern world, concern for human rights — for which right to life is the most fundamental — transcends national boundaries, and that the dignity and respect of nations are no longer measured by their economic strength alone, but also by their willingness and capacity to protect their own citizens.
3. It is sad to note that it is in this most sacred mandate of government that this administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has failed most. Available reports indicate that nearly 15,000 lives have been lost to sundry violent activities since this administration assumed office in 2023. These deaths have occurred across regions and religions, underlining a national crisis that cuts across all divides and still endangers us all, regardless of tribe, region, or religion. Entire communities have been sacked, worshippers have been slaughtered in religious spaces, and bandits now control large territories in our country — waging war at will and levying taxes on citizens with impunity. Boko Haram, once declared as “technically degraded,” is once again growing in strength, while another international terror group makes open claims of carrying out successful attacks on Nigerian soil.
4. Under this administration, terror and violence have expanded their reach — from the extreme east and west of the north to its central part. On October 31, 2025, the very day that President Trump announced his concern about Nigeria, another terror group, JNIM, an Al-Qaeda affiliate which had been active in the Sahel region, announced a successful attack in Kwara State, which serves as a gateway to the southern part of the country. The crisis that we face is therefore not about any ethnic or religious group being targeted for killing; it is an existential crisis that imperils all Nigerians. Quite significantly, it is also not about which region or religion has lost more lives; it is about every individual’s right to life. Life and death are absolutes, and they must never be reduced to statistics. The ADC believes that one life lost that could have been saved is one death too many.
5. The problem of insecurity in Nigeria did not start with President Tinubu. The problem is that President Tinubu has refused to acknowledge that the crisis has got worse under his watch and has refused to accept responsibility. Instead, Nigerians have been met with excuses, cruel silence, or utter indifference, and political posturing that mocks the tragedy of victims and their families.
6. The ADC would also like to draw attention to the structural and diplomatic failures that continue to deepen Nigeria’s vulnerability on the international stage. We would like to ask: why has the Nigerian government failed to appoint ambassadors to key countries more than two years into its term? How can a government that has been boasting of unprecedented revenue success continue to give lack of funds as an excuse for not appointing ambassadors? Why has our foreign policy become so deeply personalised and focused on the image of the president and his interests, rather than the image of Nigeria and the interests of the Nigerian people? Why are there still no unified national security strategy, no regional coordination, and no meaningful engagement with the communities most affected?
7. Under President Tinubu, Nigeria has declined both as a continental and a regional leader. Nothing underlines this decline more than the fracturing of ECOWAS under his watch. A region that once looked up to us for direction and leadership on issues of democratization and security now doesn’t think we matter anymore, as smaller countries watch us fumble aimlessly with our own domestic crisis. These failures are not isolated; they are all connected, pointing to a government that is so incompetent, so narrow-minded, and yet so blindly arrogant.
8. If this government had been less obsessed with politics, propaganda, and self-celebration, it would have taken every single violent attack seriously. It would have documented every single one of them, and in every single case, it would have demonstrated to Nigerians and to the world what it was doing to bring perpetrators to justice. It would have acknowledged its weaknesses, it would have asked for help, it would have rallied Nigerians for the great challenge, and it would have shown the world that it truly cared about every Nigerian life. And, perhaps, this situation would have been averted.
9. In conclusion, the African Democratic Congress would like to recommend the following:
i. A full overhaul of the national security apparatus, including an independent audit of operations, leadership, and strategy.
ii. Immediate appointment of qualified ambassadors, to restore Nigeria’s diplomatic presence and strategic influence.
iii. A reset of foreign policy, grounded in national interest, not personal promotion, with renewed engagement across ECOWAS, the AU, and the UN.
iv. Urgent economic reforms, focused on price stability, a credible plan to ease inflation, and a verifiable social welfare system to ease the suffering of the poor across the country.
v. An end to the personalization of public institutions, and a return to accountable, citizen-focused governance.
10. We appreciate the American president and other world leaders for their concern about the security situation in our country. We will, however, urge that such concerns should be translated into supporting Nigeria to grow her democracy and develop its capacity to solve its own problems. We believe that mobilizing armed troops, or even a mere threat of doing so, would do more harm than good and ultimately prove counterproductive to our democratic aspiration and to the long-term unity and stability of our country.
Nigeria is not beyond saving, but time is running out. We must act now, with courage, clarity, and a commitment to protect the lives and dignity of every Nigerian. Certainly, Nigeria cannot continue like this.
Signed,Mall. Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity SecretaryAfrican Democratic Congress (ADC)November 3, 2025.
