I’m Not Scared Of Trump, Barau Tackles Akpabio

A heated exchange erupted on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday as Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin openly disagreed with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over Nigeria’s response to United States President, Donald Trump’s recent threats of possible military action against the country

The disagreement followed Trump’s remarks accusing Nigeria of persecuting Christians and threatening sanctions and military intervention if the alleged killings continued — comments that have sparked widespread reactions across the country. During plenary, Senate President Akpabio addressed a viral social media post claiming he had dismissed Trump’s statement. He denied the report, describing it as false and malicious, and said he had already petitioned security agencies to investigate those behind the fake post Akpabio further stated that the Senate would not respond directly to Trump until it received an official briefing from the executive arm of government. “Who am I to answer Trump? We will take a position as a Senate once the executive responds,” he said. However, Barau sharply disagreed, saying lawmakers should not remain silent over what he described as an attack on Nigeria’s sovereignty. “I’m not scared of Trump. I will say my mind. I am a Nigerian, and Nigeria is a sovereign nation. You can say your mind about him. He is saying lies about our country, and we have the right to dispute it,” Barau declared. The remarks triggered a brief argument between the two presiding officers, with Akpabio cautioning his deputy and directing that portions of Barau’s comments be expunged from the official record The exchange came amid growing debate over how Nigeria should respond to Trump’s warning, which followed his comments accusing the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians Meanwhile, the Federal Government has dismissed the allegations as baseless, insisting that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that there is no policy of persecution against any group. Political observers say the confrontation between Akpabio and Barau reflects divisions within the Senate over how to balance assertive national pride with diplomatic caution in responding to international criticism The Senate is expected to issue a formal position on the matter after receiving a briefing from the executive branch in the coming days.