The Federal Government on Wednesday blamed recent spikes in terrorist and bandit attacks on comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump and other American officials on Nigeria’s security situation.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said at a media chat in Abuja that the U.S. redesignation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ and threats of military action had “inadvertently emboldened” violent groups, giving them renewed confidence as global attention shifts toward their activities.
Akume argued that insurgent networks had been “significantly degraded” before the latest remarks from Washington. He said Nigeria needed intelligence and technological support from partners, not public statements that distort realities and embolden extremists.
He dismissed claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria as “inaccurate and dangerous,” noting that no credible international body has classified Nigeria’s crisis as genocide. Such narratives, he said, heighten sectarian tensions and complicate diplomatic relationships.
Akume stressed that Boko Haram, ISWAP, and armed bandit groups target Muslims, Christians, and traditionalists alike, driven by ideology or criminal motives rather than religious persecution.
He traced the roots of Boko Haram to radicalisation under Mohammed Yusuf and said the insurgency strengthened after Libya’s collapse and increased arms trafficking across the Sahel. According to him, weapons flowing through AQIM-linked routes boosted the capacities of Boko Haram, ISWAP, and later bandit groups.
Akume reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with the United States based on mutual respect and shared security interests.
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