Prof Ben Naanen, an international relations expert of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), has urged the Federal Government (FG) to adopt diplomatic measures in response to the United States’ proposed military intervention over alleged genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Professor Naanen advised the government to seize the opportunity to engage diplomatically rather than dismissing the allegations outright.
He said Nigeria should clarify that the ongoing killings are acts of terrorism, not state policy, and leverage that position to seek military and intelligence support from the US.
The Don also suggested that Nigeria should work through the United Nations to address the crisis diplomatically, warning that the Tinubu administration’s current approach reflects “a lack of competence in managing the situation.”
Meanwhile, former Kano State Governor and 2023 NNPP presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, expressed concern over US President Donald Trump’s recent comments describing Nigeria as “a country of particular concern.”
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Kwankwaso said the remarks were worrisome, stressing that insecurity in Nigeria affects citizens across all religious and ethnic lines. He urged the US to support Nigeria with advanced security technology rather than issuing divisive statements or threats.
On his part, the South-South Vice President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Archbishop Isong, backed the US position, saying the designation was justified.
He noted that the US often acts on credible intelligence and advised the Nigerian government to view the move as a wake-up call to reform its security architecture.
Archbishop Isong, who also leads the Christian Central Chapel International in Calabar, maintained that the development would not derail the fight against insecurity but could instead push Nigeria towards meaningful reforms.
