Hundreds of members of an Islamic movement group flooded the streets of Kano on Saturday to protest against statements by U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently accused Nigeria of allowing genocide against Christians and hinted at possible U.S. military intervention.
The protesters, mostly members of the Shi’ite movement, carried placards with bold messages such as “We condemn Trump’s threat to attack Nigeria,” “There is no Christian genocide in Nigeria,” and “America wants to control our resources.”
Videos and photos from the protest, shared by Hon. Nuhu Sada the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for the Kaduna State House of Assembly in Zaria Kewaye Constituency showed large crowds chanting anti-American slogans.
On his official X (formerly Twitter) page, Sada wrote:
“Thousands of people in Kano State have come out to strongly condemn the remarks made by U.S. President Donald Trump about attacking Nigeria. What is your opinion?”
The Kano demonstration comes days after a similar protest in Lagos, where participants chanted “Leave us alone, America!” while carrying placards reading “Nigerians united against U.S. threat of military invasion.”
President Trump had last week designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged persecution of Christians.
He warned that Washington might intervene militarily if the Nigerian government failed to halt what he described as ongoing killings of Christians across several states.
The Federal Government swiftly dismissed the U.S. President’s statement as false and misleading.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said Trump’s remarks “completely misrepresent Nigeria’s security and religious realities.”
“There is no genocide against Christians in Nigeria. What we are facing is a shared national security challenge caused by terrorism, banditry, and extremism that affect all citizens equally, regardless of religion,” the minister stated.
He urged the international community to rely on verified information rather than political rhetoric, adding that Nigeria remains a sovereign nation capable of defending its territorial integrity.
The protests highlight growing anger across northern Nigeria, where many view Trump’s comments as an insult to national sovereignty and a ploy to destabilize the country.