Coordinator of the PILEX Center for Civic Education Initiative and Port Harcourt–based human rights lawyer, Courage Nsirimovu, has condemned the recent statement credited to former U.S. President Donald Trump describing Nigeria as a “disgraced nation.”
Nsirimovu said the comment was condescending and undiplomatic, stressing that any offer of assistance from the United States to help Nigeria combat terrorism must be carried out with respect for the country’s sovereignty and international law.
Speaking in reaction to Trump’s remarks, Nsirimovu said: “Sovereignty under international law gives a state supreme authority to govern its own territory without external interference. It is very condescending for President Donald Trump to not only call Nigeria a disgraced nation but to threaten invasion without the consent of our president. That makes a mockery of international law.”
He noted that such statements undermine the principles of democracy, the United Nations Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which all emphasize mutual respect among nations.
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While acknowledging the need for international cooperation in tackling terrorism, Nsirimovu maintained that assistance must be based on diplomacy and mutual agreement.
“If Trump genuinely wants to help Nigeria extinguish terrorism, it should be through dialogue with our president and a bilateral treaty spelling out the terms of engagement, not through threats on social media,” he said.
The human rights advocate urged Nigerian leaders to uphold national dignity and act in the country’s best interest, adding that while help is welcome, it “must flow from diplomacy, not autocracy.”
