Former Senate Leader, Senator Ali Ndume, has urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to urgently engage the United States Government following President Donald Trump’s declaration of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
Ndume, who represents Borno South, accused the Federal Government and the Senate of complacency in responding to earlier warnings by U.S. Congressman Riley Moore before Trump’s announcement.
He said the silence allowed misconceptions about Nigeria’s religious crisis to fester internationally.
“I have alerted the government. I even moved a motion. Nigeria is a sovereign state, it’s not about what the United States can do to us, but about the misconception and the ripple effects of classifying us as a country of concern,” Ndume said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.
He called on the Federal Government to present verifiable facts to Washington, stressing that terrorism in Nigeria affects all citizens irrespective of faith.
“We should engage the American government by presenting facts and figures. Muslims have been killed too. The genocide isn’t against Christians but Nigerians generally,” he added.
The lawmaker further advised the Tinubu administration to involve seasoned diplomats in any engagement with the U.S., naming respected figures such as Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, Babagana Kingibe, Professor Sulu Gambari, and Amina Mohammed.
“Before things get out of hand, Nigeria should engage experienced diplomats. The good thing about America is that if they know the truth, they will stick to it,” Ndume said.
He suggested that Nigeria should work to be reclassified as a “country of special concern” instead, to attract U.S. support and access to arms to combat terrorism effectively.
President Trump had on Friday declared Nigeria a “country of particular concern” in response to allegations of Christian persecution.
In a post on Truth Social, later shared on the White House’s X handle, Trump said Christianity was facing “an existential threat” in Nigeria, alleging that “radical Islamists” were responsible for the killings of thousands of Christians.
He directed Congressman Riley Moore, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, and other U.S. lawmakers to investigate the matter and report back.
A “country of particular concern” designation, under U.S. law, applies to nations that violate human rights or act contrary to U.S. interests.
Such nations may face restrictions on military aid, trade, and diplomatic engagement, while senior officials linked to repression could face visa bans.