By Atoyebi Nike
The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has appealed to former U.S. President Donald Trump to collaborate with President Bola Tinubu in tackling Nigeria’s security crisis instead of issuing threats of military intervention.
PFN President Bishop Wale Oke made the appeal during an interview on Thursday, stressing that Nigeria needs partnership and training support, not foreign aggression.
“Whatever needs to be done should be done to stop the killings,” Oke said. “If the President wants to ask for counter-terrorism training or expertise from the U.S., let him do so. But we do not want an American invasion of Nigeria.”
He called on the Nigerian government to ensure the protection of all citizens regardless of faith. “We want every Nigerian, whether Muslim or Christian to live and work freely anywhere in the country,” he added.
The remarks followed Trump’s statement last month accusing Nigerian authorities of allowing the mass killing of Christians. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump described the situation as an “existential threat” and warned that the U.S. military could “act fast” if Nigeria failed to stop the violence.
The comments sparked global concern and swift reactions from Nigerian officials. Information Minister Mohammed Idris rejected Trump’s claims as “false and divisive,” stressing that the violence was driven by complex local factors, not religious persecution.
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) also dismissed allegations of Christian genocide, warning against framing the conflict along religious lines. Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) clarified that Trump’s statement should be seen as a call for action against insecurity, not a threat of war.
