Citizen NewsNG 
The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has described the recent threat by United States President Donald Trump to invade Nigeria under the guise of fighting terrorism as a strategic decoy meant to express his displeasure with President Bola Tinubu’s foreign policy positions.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jare Ajayi, Afenifere dismissed Trump’s claim that the Nigerian government is complicit in the killing of Christians by bandits as baseless, calling it an attempt to “give a dog a bad name in order to kill it.”
The group argued that Trump’s threat was driven more by economic motives than by genuine concern for human rights.
Ajayi stated: “By sounding so harsh, Mr. Trump hopes to pressure President Tinubu into negotiations that would give the U.S. greater access to Nigeria’s economy and possibly push Nigeria into buying more American goods, particularly weapons. Nigeria’s increasing engagement with China is clearly unsettling for the U.S.”
He further noted that some political interests in America are uncomfortable with certain foreign policy decisions of the Tinubu administration.
“For instance, Vice President Kashim Shettima openly affirmed Nigeria’s support for a two-state solution in the Israel-Palestine conflict at the last UN General Assembly. It is well-known that this position did not sit well with the United States,” he added.
Afenifere also rejected claims that the Nigerian government is backing a genocide against Christians, insisting that banditry and terrorism are not religiously motivated.
Ajayi said: “Not that people are not being killed, but bandits and terrorists do not discriminate.
“Their primary target is the economy. Those sponsoring them are after mineral resources. Once communities are displaced, the sponsors move in to exploit these resources.”
He added that the government was actively addressing insecurity, citing the recent replacement of service chiefs as evidence of renewed efforts to strengthen national security.
The group cautioned Nigerians against making reckless comments that could justify foreign aggression or worsen tensions.
Ajayi warned: “When you deride your country, the damage is not easily undone. We must be careful about what we say or write. Nigeria indeed needs help to address its security challenges, but threatening it with war is not a solution.”
He further observed that America’s military interventions in other nations have rarely produced peace or stability.
“None of the nations where America has intervened militarily has known peace. When we cry out, we must keep our eyes open to see what lies ahead,” Ajayi stated.
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