The Nigerian Senate says it will deliberate on
recent remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump alleging genocide
against Christians in Nigeria.
Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Senate
President Godswill Akpabio said he would withhold comments on the matter
until the Federal Government issues an official response.
“Who am I to respond to President Trump?” Akpabio
asked rhetorically, stressing that the issue touches on sensitive diplomatic
relations.
The Senate President clarified that he had not made
any statement in response to Trump, contrary to reports circulating online. He
revealed that he has petitioned the police and the Department of
State Services (DSS) while also initiating legal action against the blogger
responsible for spreading the false claim.
Akpabio urged Nigerians and the media to avoid
amplifying misinformation or inflammatory narratives that could threaten
national unity.
He also directed the Cybercrime Unit to
identify and prosecute individuals behind the fake news campaign targeting the
Senate and its leadership.
“Nigeria’s problems must be weighed from all sides.
What we need is peace,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin
humorously asked Akpabio if he was afraid of Trump, insisting that Nigeria is a
sovereign nation.
“I’m not afraid of Trump,” Barau quipped, drawing
laughter from lawmakers.
The Senate is expected to formally debate the matter
at a later legislative date.
Background
Trump’s controversial comments were made on his Truth
Social platform on Saturday, where he claimed Christianity was “facing
an existential threat” in Nigeria. He said he had directed the Pentagon to
prepare a possible plan of attack, warning that any U.S. intervention would be “fast,
vicious, and sweet.”
When asked aboard Air Force One whether he was
considering deploying U.S. troops or air strikes, Trump responded, “Could
be, I envisage a lot of things.”
The statement has since triggered widespread
diplomatic reactions.
Presidential spokesman Daniel Bwala told AFP
that Nigeria remains a key partner of the United States in the global fight
against terrorism, adding that the country welcomes U.S. support as long as it
respects Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Bwala hinted that President Bola Tinubu and
Trump could meet soon to discuss shared security concerns and address
misconceptions about faith-based violence.
Tinubu, however, dismissed claims of Christian
persecution, stating that Nigeria remains religiously tolerant.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously
intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” he said.
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