Trump urged action against killings, didn’t threaten Nigeria — Northern CAN chair

The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria for the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Reverend Joseph Hayab, has said that the US President Donald Trump warning to Nigeria over the killings of Christians was misrepresented.

Speaking on The Morning Show on Arise Television on Wednesday, Hayab said Trump did not threaten to invade Nigeria but instead urged the Federal Government to take decisive action against terrorists targeting Christians.

“Listening to what Trump said, Trump never said he was going to come to fight Nigeria.

“There’s a twisting of all these things. Trump simply said, ‘Go after these terrorists; if you don’t go after them, we can come and go after them.’ So, who is afraid of Trump coming to Nigeria?” Hayab said.

According to the cleric, acknowledging the reality of attacks against Christians is the first step toward national healing.

He urged that instead of dismissing victims’ pain, government officials should engage in honest dialogue about the crisis.

“You can’t tell someone who is a victim, who is in pain, that his cries are not true. Once we stop doing that, then we’ll find a solution. Let’s admit that people came and killed Christians, and they came in the name of religion.

“They came as Islamic fundamentalists. No Christian is saying Muslims had a meeting and asked people to go and kill them, but Christians are saying that fundamentalists, terrorists came in the name of Islam and killed Christians.

“When we acknowledge that fact, then we’ve started a journey of healing,” he added.

Hayab noted that mutual understanding and empathy are essential for restoring trust among Nigerians.

“When we begin to talk to one another and understand the feelings and pain that people are going through, people will trust any conversation we bring to the table,” he said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Recall that in late October, Trump designated Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom violations, citing an “existential threat” to Christianity amid what he described as the mass slaughter of thousands of Christians by radical Islamists, including groups like Boko Haram.

One day later, the US President posted on social media, instructing the newly renamed Department of War to prepare for “fast, vicious” military action.

He also threatened to halt all U.S. aid and potentially invade “guns-a-blazing” to eliminate the terrorists if the Nigerian government failed to act decisively.

But President Bola Tinubu had rejected the claims as misleading and simplistic, insisting that violence in the north-central region stems from multifaceted conflicts involving herder-farmer disputes, banditry, and extremism that targets both Muslims and Christians indiscriminately.

Tinubu, however, welcomed collaborative counter-terrorism efforts that respect sovereignty.

Reacting to criticisms that Trump’s comments reflect an American agenda, the CAN chairman argued that Nigerian leaders should prioritise addressing victims’ grievances rather than dismissing foreign concern.

“Before you tell me about Trump’s agenda, have you shown concern when I was burying people in large numbers? If you fail to act and Trump says he’s coming, let him come — at least it will show you’re not the only one watching,” Hayab added.