Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has urged a renewed diplomatic approach between Nigeria and the United States in response to growing security tensions following President Donald Trump’s recent remarks threatening possible military intervention in Nigeria.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke called for peaceful dialogue anchored in the long-standing relationship between both nations. He appealed to Washington to support Nigeria in executing its newly developed national security strategy aimed at curbing banditry and terrorism.
“I appeal to the Presidency of the United States to support Nigeria in fully implementing its new national security strategy,” Adeleke said. He added that the country’s revised framework is comprehensive enough to address the challenges of insecurity and violent extremism.
The governor also sympathized with families affected by terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria and emphasized that the US could play a key role in assisting the country’s counterterrorism drive. He described Trump’s statements as a “wake-up call” for Nigeria to reinforce collaboration with international partners in tackling insecurity.
“We need our international partners to expand their support for Nigerian security agencies,” he added, insisting that diplomatic cooperation between Abuja and Washington offers a better solution than any form of military intervention.
Adeleke commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for engaging in dialogue with the US to ease rising tensions and address legitimate concerns raised by Western nations. “This is the time to unite as a nation and support national leadership to tackle threats against our citizens,” he stated. “We need peace, not war, to deepen our democracy and protect our people.”
Meanwhile, President Trump, while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, reiterated his earlier threat of potential US military action against Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians. When asked whether he was considering deploying troops or authorizing air strikes, Trump replied, “Could be, I envisage a lot of things.”
He had earlier posted on Truth Social that he instructed the Pentagon to draft a possible attack plan for Nigeria, claiming that Christianity faced “an existential threat” in Africa’s most populous country. Trump further warned that if the Nigerian government failed to halt the killings, US action would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
Reacting to Trump’s comments, Nigerian presidential spokesperson Daniel Bwala told AFP that Nigeria remains a key ally of the United States in the global fight against terrorism. “Nigeria welcomes US support to fight terrorism as long as it respects our territorial integrity,” Bwala said.
He suggested that Trump’s statements might have been intended to prompt a diplomatic engagement between the two leaders. Bwala added that President Tinubu and Trump could soon hold a meeting to discuss joint strategies against insecurity and clarify misunderstandings surrounding religion-based violence.
Tinubu, addressing the matter earlier, dismissed claims that Christians were being specifically targeted in Nigeria, asserting that the nation remains committed to religious harmony. “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” the president said.
What you should know
Governor Adeleke’s call for diplomacy follows escalating tensions after President Trump’s threats of US military action over alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
While Trump maintains his stance, the Nigerian government emphasizes collaboration and respect for national sovereignty as the path to resolving security challenges.
