Comrade Daniel Onjeh, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Chairman of the Governing Board of the Project Development Institute (PRODA), has condemned the recent threat by former US President Donald Trump to launch military action against Nigeria over alleged religious persecution.
In a statement released on Sunday, Onjeh described Trump’s comments as “dangerous and unnecessary,” warning that they could inflame tensions and distort Nigeria’s complex security situation.
“The statement has alarmed many Nigerians, not because it came from President Trump alone, but because there’s a long-standing perception that some external forces always see Nigeria through the lens of instability,” he said. “That is why many Nigerians do not take this recent statement as a mere expression of concern.”
Onjeh acknowledged that insecurity and killings in Nigeria are real and require urgent attention, but rejected the claim that the crisis is driven by religion.
“What we are facing is not Christian persecution or Muslim persecution. It is a national assault on all citizens, regardless of faith or background,” he explained. “Christians have been killed. Muslims have been killed. Even traditional worshippers and those with no religion have been victims.”
He warned that framing Nigeria’s insecurity as a religious conflict could deepen mistrust and fuel terrorist agendas. “Terrorism does not obey religion. It feeds on fear, chaos, and division,” he added.
The APC chieftain also cautioned against any form of foreign military involvement in Nigeria under the guise of humanitarian aid.
“There is a clear difference between intervention and invasion,” Onjeh said. “Nigeria has not requested foreign troops, and any attempt to deploy external military forces against the will of our government would amount to an invasion.”
Instead, he urged the United States to support Nigeria through intelligence sharing, counterterrorism training, and weapons supply to help the nation strengthen its security forces.
“We need support, not invasion. The US can help us by exposing the sponsors of terrorism and assisting us in acquiring the weapons needed for self-defense,” he emphasized.
Onjeh also called on Nigerians to unite behind President Bola Tinubu in defending the nation’s sovereignty.
“Political disagreements at home must not blind us to the danger of foreign interference. Nigeria welcomes partnership and friendship but will never accept intimidation, no matter the source,” he said.
He concluded that Nigeria seeks “cooperation, not control, and progress, not destabilisation.”
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