Trump’s Threat of Military Action in Nigeria Wrong, Says Sowore, Insists Nation Needs Leadership, Not Foreign Saviours
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has condemned the recent threat by United States President, Donald Trump to launch military action in Nigeria, describing the statement as reckless and dangerous.
President Trump, in a post on his social media platform and during a weekend press briefing, warned that the United States could consider “military measures” if the Nigerian government failed to stop what he described as the “killing of Christians by radical Islamists.”
The American leader also hinted at cutting aid to Nigeria, claiming that “Christianity faces an existential threat” in the country.
Reacting to the statement on Sunday, Sowore said Trump’s remarks were a reminder of the destructive legacy of foreign interventions that have left many nations worse off.
According to him, such rhetoric is “not only deceptive but a continuation of America’s imperialist tendencies.”
“Whether you are Christian, Muslim, animist, or atheist, no Nigerian should celebrate Trump’s reckless threats,” Sowore said. “The United States and its allies have a long record of military interventions that leave nations in ruins — from Afghanistan to Iraq, Libya, and Syria. They will not bring salvation to Nigeria through bombs or boots on the ground.”
Sowore argued that Nigeria’s problems cannot be solved by foreign powers but by Nigerians themselves through accountable leadership and justice for all citizens.
“Donald Trump does not care about Nigerians — not Christians, Muslims, or anyone else,” he said. “What Nigeria truly needs is legitimate, people-oriented leadership that protects all citizens and ends the cycles of corruption and violence that have broken this nation.”
He blamed the administration of President Bola Tinubu for creating conditions that allow foreign leaders to speak condescendingly about Nigeria, saying the government’s failure to protect lives and deliver good governance had weakened the country’s sovereignty.
The activist also cautioned Nigerians against viewing Trump’s comments through a religious lens, warning that it risked deepening divisions in a country already struggling with ethnic and religious tension.
Political observers say Sowore’s remarks echo widespread skepticism among Nigerians who view Western involvement in African affairs as self-serving.
Many point to past U.S. interventions in the Middle East and North Africa, which have often led to greater instability and humanitarian crises.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, has dismissed Trump’s statement as “inappropriate and uninformed,” stressing that the Nigerian government remains committed to protecting citizens regardless of religious affiliation.
Sowore concluded by urging Nigerians to reject both foreign interference and domestic misrule, insisting that national transformation must come from within.
