Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has responded to recent comments by United States President Donald Trump regarding the nature of terrorist violence in Northern Nigeria. Sani stated that Trump's latest admission provides a more objective context to the crisis.
Trump's U-Turn and the Objective Context of Violence
In a post on his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Friday, January 9, 2025, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain addressed President Trump's revised stance. Trump, who had previously focused on claims of a Christian genocide, now acknowledges that 'Muslims are also killed' by terrorists operating in the region.
Shehu Sani asserted that this acknowledgment 'properly and objectively locates the violence in its context.' He argued that the earlier narrative, which heavily emphasized a script of Christian genocide, was potentially engineered to draw the United States into Nigerian affairs to fulfill a hidden agenda.
'Being a Muslim does not insulate you from the evil of terrorism,' Sani emphasized, highlighting the indiscriminate nature of the attacks that have plagued communities across faiths.
A Call for Collective Action and Self-Reliance
The former lawmaker used the opportunity to urge a unified national response. He called on adherents of all faiths in Nigeria to recognize the shared danger posed by terrorist groups and to agree on the urgent need for their eradication from the country.
Furthermore, Shehu Sani delivered a strong message on national sovereignty and responsibility. He cautioned Nigerians against the illusion that a foreign power will solve the country's internal problems. 'We must free ourselves from the illusion that a foreign power will solve the problems we are supposed to solve ourselves,' he stated, advocating for domestic solutions to domestic challenges.
Mixed Reactions from the Nigerian Public
The development and Sani's comments have sparked varied reactions on social media and among commentators:
- Some users questioned why certain northern Muslim leaders previously opposed US assistance if terrorism affects everyone.
- Others noted that Trump appears to have received more balanced information, recognizing that terrorists do not discriminate by faith.
- A critical viewpoint stressed the importance of distinguishing between criminal terrorism and the legal definition of genocide, while not denying the severity of attacks on Christian communities.
- Another perspective welcomed Trump's evolving, more factual understanding of the complex security situation.
This discourse occurs against the backdrop of the US House Subcommittee on Africa preparing for a public hearing to review President Trump's redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern. President Bola Tinubu's administration has consistently rejected claims of widespread, state-tolerated Christian persecution, maintaining Nigeria's commitment to constitutional religious freedom.
The hearing is expected to feature testimonies from top US officials and religious leaders on the alleged targeted attacks, keeping the issue firmly in the realm of international diplomacy and domestic policy.
