Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has warned Nigerians not to welcome United States President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention in the country, describing it as dangerous and capable of worsening instability.
Reacting to Trump’s post on Saturday, where the U.S. leader vowed to send troops “guns-a-blazing” into Nigeria if the government fails to stop the killing of Christians, Sowore said such rhetoric should never be celebrated.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) early Sunday, Sowore noted that although Trump’s message might appeal to some Nigerians, past U.S. interventions in foreign countries had brought only chaos and bloodshed.
“The latest threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to launch military action in Nigeria, allegedly to protect Christians, may sound appealing to some, but history has shown this to be perilous,” Sowore wrote.
He added that religion should not be used to justify foreign military involvement, warning that both Christians and Muslims would ultimately suffer from such actions.
Citing wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and Syria, the activist said those nations became more unstable after U.S. involvement.
According to him, “The United States and its allies have a long record of military interventions that leave nations more unstable than before. They failed to secure peace in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, or Syria, and they won’t bring salvation to Nigeria through bombs or boots on the ground.”
Sowore maintained that the real solution lies in building credible leadership, fighting corruption, and ensuring justice for all citizens.
“What Nigeria truly needs is not a foreign saviour, but legitimate, accountable leadership — one that protects all citizens and ends the cycles of corruption and violence that have weakened the nation,” he stated.
He further accused Trump of using religion to stir division, adding, “Donald Trump does not care about Nigerians — not Christians, Muslims, or anyone else. Our deliverance will never come from abroad; it must come from within.”
Trump had on Friday declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” citing what he called the “mass slaughter” of Christians by Islamist groups. His comment has since triggered mixed reactions from Nigerians and international observers.
