The Igbo Community Association in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has called on the president of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to see the threat issued by the President of the United States of America, Mr. Donald Trump, to attack Nigeria, as an opportunity to act.
The Igbo Community made the call in a statement issued by the President General of the Association, Engineer Ikenna Ellis-Ezenekwe.
The statement was entitled “Trump’s Threat on Nigeria is opportunity for President Tinubu to act“.
Engineer Ellis-Ezenekwe noted that the designation of Nigeria as a country of special interest is an embarrassment.
Trump’s Threat
President Trump had made the designation over allegations that Christians suffer genocidal killing in Nigeria.
Trump followed the designation up with threat to use military action against Nigeria, unless the killings stop.
Reacting to the threat, Tinubu insisted that Nigeria, as a democracy governed by constitution guarantees religious liberty.
He condemned characterising Nigeria as religiously intolerant, holding it does not reflect the country’s national reality.
He stressed that Trump did not “take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs” for Nigerians.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.
“Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.
“Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths,” said Tinubu in a statement.
Igbo Community: “Christians have suffered genocidal killing in Nigeria”
The Igbo Community, however, held otherwise.
Ellis-Ezenekwe pointed out that Nigeria has had a history of religious violence.
According to him, such violence has seen Igbo people persecuted and killed in thousands in Northern Nigeria.
He affirmed that Christians have suffered genocidal killing in Nigeria, and have continued to suffer such killings till date.
Ellis-Ezenekwe stated: “The designation of Nigeria as a country of special interest is definitely an embarrassment to the giant of Africa.
“Nigeria has had a history of religious violence dating back to the days, when people of Igbo extraction were prosecuted and killed in thousands in Northern Nigeria.
“It is not untrue to say that Christians have suffered genocidal killing in Nigeria and continues to suffer such killings till date.
“The people of the north central Nigeria, particularly the people of Benue and Plateau State, including the people southern Kaduna, have suffered the latest brunt of religious killings by religious terrorists.
“It has been a sad and embarrassing ordeal that remains an albatross.
“[It’s] exacerbated by the inability of the Federal Government of Nigeria to checkmate the killings over the years.”
Opportunity for Tinubu to Act
Ellis-Ezenekwe, however, noted that Trump’s threat “serves as an opportunity”, especially for Tinubu’s administration.
He urged Tinubu to “wipe the religious terrorists out” to save the lives of Nigerians and prove Trump wrong.
He stated further: “It is on this note that the President of the Federal Government of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is called to step up to the plate and grab the opportunity to eradicate the menace.
“President Tinubu should ask the American President, Donald Trump for help towards eradicating the menace.
“Too many innocent lives have been lost to marauding bandits and religious terrorists.”
Ellis-Ezenekwe ended the statement on a, rather, positive note, saying: “Nigeria can be made great again.”
