The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, Reverend Joseph Hayab, has clarified recent comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Speaking on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, Hayab emphasized that Trump’s remarks were misrepresented and did not constitute a threat to Nigeria’s sovereignty.
“Listening to what Trump said, he never said he was going to come to fight Nigeria,” Hayab stated. “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 urged Nigerians to interpret Trump’s comments as a call for decisive action against terrorist groups targeting Christian communities, rather than as an act of aggression. He stressed that acknowledging the reality of religiously motivated violence is essential to fostering national healing and unity.
The Northern CAN chair also called on the Nigerian government to prioritize the protection of all citizens, regardless of religious affiliation, and to avoid dismissing the pain of victims. “We must stop politicizing the suffering of our people and instead work together to end the killings,” he added.
Trump’s statement, which has sparked debate across media platforms, was originally made in the context of urging global attention to the plight of persecuted Christians in Nigeria. Northern CAN views the remarks as an opportunity to galvanize national and international support for peacebuilding and religious freedom.