Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana, SAN, has urged the Nigerian government to take U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning as a wake-up call rather than react to his allegations of “Christian genocide” in the country.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Falana described Trump as having contempt for Africans and criticized his claim as false and hypocritical, noting that violence in Nigeria is driven by criminals, bandits, and armed groups rather than religious motives.
He urged the government to focus on internal reforms instead of reacting to foreign accusations, highlighting failures in addressing issues like open grazing, lack of ranches, and ineffective security measures that contribute to insecurity.
Falana also accused the government of weakness and hypocrisy for not challenging Trump and pointed to America’s own security crises, as well as Trump’s double standards, including support for Israel’s military actions in Gaza and plans to attack Christian-majority Venezuela.
He emphasized that state governments must prosecute offenders effectively, ensure law enforcement maintains control, and adopt a holistic approach to tackling crimes like terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery.
He further stressed that past government inaction, poor geopolitical decisions, and external interventions have worsened Nigeria’s security situation.
Falana warned against allowing foreign powers to exploit religious narratives to divide Nigerians and urged leaders to prioritize practical solutions to protect citizens, strengthen the nation, and prevent further insecurity.
