Omoyele Sowore, a human rights activist and former presidential candidate, has responded to Donald Trump’s classification of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” in response to allegations of Christian genocide in the nation.
According to reports, Trump blamed “radical Islamists” for the mass murders of Christians in Nigeria in a post on his Truth Social website on Friday.
The United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening,” he said after designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
In response, Sowore cautioned Trump on Saturday via his X handle not to attribute Nigeria’s insecurity to a religious problem.
He said that decades of corruption, bad governance, and ineffective leadership are to blame for Nigeria’s current state of insecurity.
SaharaReporters’ publisher emphasized that responsible leadership, not outside intervention, is what will save the nation.
“Nigeria should have long been cited as a Country of Concern for its persistent failure to protect its citizens,” he stated. The state has failed to protect vulnerable Christians, Muslims, and traditional faiths on all fronts. Corruption and illegitimate leadership have caused suffering for women, children, workers, students, and the elderly.
He acknowledged that Muslim communities in the north endure the same horror, but he also voiced concern for Christian communities in the northern states who have seen repeated attacks.
“I understand the suffering of the Christian communities in Benue, Plateau, Gombe, and Kaduna, who are still under constant attack, just as the Muslim communities in Katsina, Zamfara, Borno, and Yobe also want protection from roving assassins.
He declared, “Nigerians torn apart by poverty, hunger, and displacement cry out for safety and dignity across the nation.”
Sowore maintained that only real domestic reform can break the cycle of violence and hopelessness, even though attention from abroad may provide short-term respite.
“The true solution lies in honest, courageous leadership that values human life and justice above politics, even though international attention or special designations might provide some communities with temporary relief.”
