KEY POINTS
- Trump threatens to use military force in Nigeria because Christians are being killed.
- Ribadu calls an emergency meeting with the heads of security and intelligence.
- Chad blocks its border because of worries about security and tensions in the area.
National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu convened a high-level security meeting in Abuja after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to launch military action in Nigeria over alleged Christian killings.
Sources said the meeting at the National Counter Terrorism Centre reviewed possible responses and intelligence implications of Trump’s statement, which hinted at air strikes and ground operations.
Chad shuts border amid fears of regional spillover
Chad’s government swiftly closed its border with Nigeria, citing security risks as tensions rose following Trump’s remarks.
Military units were placed on full alert along key entry points, while President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno vowed to block any foreign or armed incursion.
Nigeria on edge as Trump threatens military action in Nigeria
The Nigerian government faces mounting pressure to address worsening insecurity, with political and civil society leaders urging diplomacy over confrontation. Experts say Trump’s threat, if acted upon, could destabilize West Africa and damage Nigeria’s economy.
Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke called for renewed dialogue between Abuja and Washington, while Labour Party’s Peter Obi blamed the crisis on weak governance and poor leadership.
Afenifere warned Tinubu against allowing foreign intervention, insisting that Nigeria must resolve its internal security challenges through restructuring and state policing.
Prof. Femi Otubanjo and Dr. Joseph Ochogwu were among the analysts who said Trump’s speech was foolish and politically motivated.
They said that military intervention may make violence and humanitarian situations worse.
Muda Yusuf, an economist, warned that this kind of talk might hurt Nigeria’s economic climate and make international investors even less confident.
