Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has issued a stern warning to the Federal Government (FG) amid escalating insecurity in the country, urging authorities not to allow United States President Donald Trump to promote a narrative that could ignite a religious war in Nigeria.
In a statement released today, Falana emphasized that Nigeria's security challenges, including terrorism and banditry, are not rooted in religious divisions but in broader socio-economic issues that require internal solutions.
"Let the Nigerian government be warned not to allow US President Mr. Donald Trump to promote religious war in Nigeria," Falana stated. "Trump is saying his intervention is to protect Christians. The criminals that are killing Nigerians do not care about religion."
Falana called on the FG to prioritize adequate funding and equipping of the armed forces to combat insecurity effectively, rather than relying on foreign interventions that could exacerbate divisions.
He expressed regret over the ongoing threats from terrorists and bandits, noting that these groups operate without regard to religious affiliations and have inflicted widespread suffering across the nation.
The warning comes in response to recent comments from President Trump, who has threatened military action against Nigeria based on claims of a "Christian genocide," a narrative the FG has dismissed as based on faulty data.
Falana advised the government not to overreact to these threats but to focus on practical measures to address the root causes of insecurity, including improved intelligence, community engagement, and socio-economic development.
"Nigeria must not allow external powers to exploit our challenges for their own agendas," Falana added. "We have brought embarrassment to ourselves as a nation by failing to tackle these issues head on, but the solution lies within our borders, not in foreign military involvement."
Falana's statement underscores the need for unity among Nigerians of all faiths to confront insecurity collectively, rejecting any attempts to frame the crisis along religious lines.