A former Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, Mike Ejiofor, has urged the Federal Government to take seriously the recent comments made by United States President Donald Trump, who accused the Nigerian Government of allowing the killing of Christians and threatened possible military action.
Ejiofor made the call while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, where he emphasized the need for Nigeria to approach the situation with caution and diplomacy. He warned that Trump’s remarks should not be dismissed as ordinary political rhetoric, noting that the former American president has a history of following through on his controversial statements.
Naija News recalls that Trump, barely a day after declaring Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, issued a stern warning through a post on his Truth Social platform. He claimed that the Nigerian Government was failing to protect Christians and suggested that the United States might intervene militarily if the alleged attacks continued.
Trump wrote, “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the United States of America will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria and may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns blazing, to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious and sweet.”
His statement quickly went viral, generating global debate and strong reactions from both Nigerian and international audiences. While some commentators dismissed Trump’s remarks as political posturing, others warned that the Nigerian Government must not ignore them, given Trump’s influence and following within conservative political circles in the United States.
During his interview, Ejiofor advised that Nigeria should take proactive steps to address the concerns raised and engage the U.S. government through diplomatic channels. He stressed that dismissing the statement could worsen Nigeria’s image internationally and possibly strain bilateral relations.
“I think the Federal Government should take Donald Trump seriously,” Ejiofor said. “I am calling on the Nigerian Government to explore all diplomatic channels. It is a very serious matter when you talk about Donald Trump. I take serious exception to the statement credited to him because he says what he wants to do, and he will go ahead to do it. So it is not something we can gloss over. It is a threat.”
Ejiofor also reiterated the importance of Nigeria maintaining its reputation as a nation committed to religious tolerance and human rights. He advised the government to engage both local and international stakeholders to ensure that misinformation does not damage the country’s standing in the global community.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has continued to insist that Nigeria remains a secular state that guarantees freedom of religion. Officials have described Trump’s comments as unfounded and have assured citizens that all religious groups in the country enjoy equal protection under the law.
Analysts say the situation underscores the need for Nigeria to strengthen its diplomatic relations and improve communication with foreign governments to prevent misunderstandings that could escalate into diplomatic tensions.
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