FORMER Kano State governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has called on the United States to assist Nigeria with advanced technological tools in combating insecurity—rather than issuing threats that could destabilize the country.
Kwankwaso made the appeal on Sunday via a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account sighted by News Point Nigeria, reacting to escalating remarks from US President Donald Trump accusing Nigeria of permitting widespread violence against Christians.
Last week, Trump declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern” under alleged religious persecution. Posting on his Truth Social platform, he claimed:
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.”
On Saturday, he went further—warning that the US could suspend aid to Nigeria and potentially launch military intervention if the Nigerian government fails to act.
Trump said he had instructed the US Department of War to “prepare for possible action”, adding that any attack would be “fast, vicious, and sweet.”
Responding to the comments, Kwankwaso stressed that Nigeria is a sovereign state tackling complex insecurity challenges that affect citizens across all religions.
“The United States should assist the Nigerian authorities with better cutting-edge technology to tackle these problems, rather than posing a threat that could further polarise our country,” he wrote.
He urged the Federal Government to strengthen diplomatic engagement by appointing special envoys and permanent ambassadors to the US and other key nations.
Kwankwaso also called for national unity: “This is an important moment where we should emphasise unity of belonging over division.”
The Nigerian government has already dismissed Trump’s allegations.
President Bola Tinubu insisted Nigeria respects religious diversity and is committed to protecting the rights of all believers.
In a statement issued Saturday, Tinubu said: “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it recognise government efforts to safeguard freedom of religion and belief. Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.”
Kwankwaso insists that cooperation not confrontation is what Nigeria needs from its strongest allies in confronting terrorism, banditry, and separatist threats.