By Vincent Egunyanga, Ben Adoga, Anthony Otaru, Cajetan Mmuta, and David Lawani
A cross-section of Nigerians has expressed mixed feelings following the recent redesignation of Nigeria by the United States as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious persecution.
While some human rights activists and legal minds welcomed the move as a moral wake-up call for Nigeria’s leadership, others faulted the US for what they described as a hasty and politically motivated decision that undermines Nigeria’s sovereignty.
The designation, announced by US President Donald Trump on October 31, cites “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom” in Nigeria.
The action has since sparked intense debate among Nigerian religious leaders, legal scholars, and policy experts, exposing deep divisions in perception about the country’s spiritual and security crisis.
Constitutional lawyer and human rights activist Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) described the development as “genuinely disturbing,” insisting that the US had only restated what many Nigerians already knew.
According to him, “The killing of Christians in Nigeria has been ongoing for a very long time. From Katsina to Sokoto, Benue to Jos, Yola, and Adamawa, everyone knows genocidal elements have targeted the South.”
He faulted the Nigerian government for ignoring repeated cries from Christian bodies, saying:
“Christians have cried out through the Bishops’ Conference, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, and various archdioceses. It is not a new development except that it is now coming from the mouth of Donald Trump.”
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to take the US statement seriously:
“The Federal Government should firm up security apparatus to protect Christians and stop making them vulnerable to terrorist attacks.”
He also warned against complacency:
“This situation stares us in the face. The government must act swiftly and decisively to protect its citizens, irrespective of faith.”
On his part, Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (InterSociety), hailed the US decision as a landmark moment for Nigeria’s human rights struggle.
He said, “The designation of Nigeria as a country of concern marks a watershed in our history of ethno-religious coexistence. It should be celebrated not only by Christians but also by Muslims and traditional worshippers who truly respect human life.”
The rights activist noted that his organisation had documented religiously motivated killings for over 15 years, adding, “We are happy because InterSociety has consistently tracked, compiled, and publicised these atrocities without international funding. It’s a wake-up call for authorities to go back to the drawing board.”
He also emphasised that only political will could end the crisis, “The day the government resolves to stop these killings, they will stop. What we are seeing is a politically motivated failure of leadership.”
However, not all respondents agreed with the US position.
Chief Niyi Akinsiju, Chairman of the Independent Media and Policy Initiative, dismissed Trump’s decision as “overgeneralised and data-deficient.”
He said, “This is not the first time Trump has done this. He made the same claim in 2020, and it was later reversed. His conclusions are not based on verifiable data but on political sentiment.”
Akinsiju advised the Federal Government to counter the narrative through factual engagements:
“Nigeria must continue to engage diplomatically with accurate data. There is no Christian-versus-Muslim war here. In many cases, more Muslims have fallen victim to extremist sects in the North.”
Similarly, former Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) President Abdul Oroh described Trump’s genocide claims as “frivolous.”
He said, “There is no government policy to kill anyone on religious grounds. Muslims, too, are victims. It’s unfair to give a dog a bad name to hang it.”
Oroh, however, admitted that the government’s counter-terrorism efforts were faltering:
“It’s time for the military to step up its game; progress has been painfully slow.”
Another senior lawyer, Barrister John Okoli-Akirika, argued that the US designation, while harsh, is justified by Nigeria’s record of state inaction.
“Nigeria is a secular state by law, yet the government has often looked away while one religious group faces targeted attacks. That goes against our constitution and international obligations,” he said.
He warned that the decision could have diplomatic repercussions: “Such a designation could strain Nigeria’s relations with the U.S. and other allies, especially in areas of security assistance, trade, and international lending.”
From the religious front, Pastor Yakubu Jeji of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) and Bishop David Abioye of Living Faith Church expressed opposing sentiments.
Jeji said, “For Christians in the Middle Belt, this crisis is real. It began with political exclusion and has now become religious persecution.”
But Bishop Abioye lambasted those denying the killings, “You see people buried in hundreds, and you say there is no genocide? What a wicked set of people!”
