A former Director of the Department of State
Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has advised the Federal Government to
take U.S. President Donald Trump’s claims of Christian genocide and
threat of military action against Nigeria seriously.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today
on Tuesday, Ejiofor urged the Nigerian government to explore diplomatic
channels to address the situation.
“I think the Federal Government should take Donald
Trump seriously. I’m calling on the Nigerian government to explore all
diplomatic channels,” he said.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform
last week, accused the Nigerian government of overseeing a “mass slaughter
of Christians” and threatened to halt U.S. aid and potentially launch
military action.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the
killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance
to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country,
‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are
committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote.
He added that he had instructed the U.S. Department of
War to “prepare for possible action.”
While the Federal Government has dismissed
Trump’s claims and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom,
Ejiofor cautioned that Trump’s words should not be taken lightly.
“It is a very serious matter when you talk of Donald
Trump. He says what he wants to do, and he will go ahead to do it. So, it’s not
a play we can gloss over — it is a threat,” he warned.
Meanwhile, China has expressed support for
Nigeria amid the controversy, calling on the international community to respect
the country’s sovereignty.
“As a comprehensive strategic partner of Nigeria,
China firmly supports the Nigerian government in leading its people to a
development path that fits Nigeria’s national realities,” said Mao Ning,
spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry.
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