Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has warned that a possible U.S. military strike on Nigeria, as threatened by President Donald Trump, poses “ominous” risks to the country’s sovereignty and regional stability.
Trump’s remarks came after he redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” accusing the government of failing to stop what he described as widespread persecution of Christians. The move followed Nigeria’s vocal support for a two-state solution to the Israel–Palestine conflict and its condemnation of civilian killings in Gaza.
Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, Vice President Kashim Shettima described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “heart-wrenching,” urging an immediate ceasefire and recognition of Palestinian statehood within UN-defined borders.
The U.S. president’s statement, however, escalated tensions on Friday when he instructed the Department of Defense to “prepare for possible action in Nigeria” and suggested cutting all U.S. aid and assistance to the country.
Reacting, President Bola Tinubu dismissed the allegations of religious persecution, saying such claims “have no place in Nigeria.” Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, also urged caution, warning against interpreting Nigeria’s security crisis as genocide.
Lamido, who is a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a statement on social media, urged Tinubu to convene a meeting of all past Nigerian leaders to devise a diplomatic response to the U.S. threat.
“The threat of war on Nigeria from President Trump of the United States, under whatever guise, is very ominous. The consequences of such action cannot be imagined,” Lamido wrote. “President Tinubu must swallow his pride and invite all our past leaders for a closed-door meeting to find a way around this dangerous development.”
He called for “quiet diplomacy” involving former heads of state to engage Washington and avert escalation.
Nigeria was first designated a “Country of Particular Concern” by the Trump administration in 2020.