The severe diplomatic tension between Nigeria and the United States, sparked by President Donald Trump’s military threats, has drawn international attention, with China officially entering the fray to support Nigeria.
China Firmly Opposes US Intervention
China has publicly declared its “firm support” for the Nigerian government and strongly warned the US against interference.
- Sovereignty and Warning: The Spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, stated on Tuesday that “As Nigeria’s strategic partner, China opposes any attempt by foreign powers to use religion or human rights as a pretext to meddle in another country’s internal affairs or impose sanctions and military threats.”
- Support for Abuja: China reaffirmed its support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration, commending the government for guiding the country “along a development path tailored to its national conditions,” thereby bolstering Nigeria’s position against the US claims.
US Threat and Nigerian Pushback
The political conversation remains focused on the crisis sparked by President Donald Trump’s statements over the weekend.
- Trump’s Stance: The President doubled down on his claim that “Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter” of Christians, and warned that the US “may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists.”
- Official Nigerian Rejection: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration firmly rejected this characterization, stating that “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” and has suggested a high-powered diplomatic meeting to resolve the issue.
- Political Condemnation: Domestic political figures, including former Senator Shehu Sani, publicly opposed any US “foreign military aggression against my country under any guise,” and Governor Ademola Adeleke stressed that “Peaceful interface between Abuja and Washington holds the key rather than military intervention.”
High-Profile Legal Showdown: Nnamdi Kanu Ultimatum
Separately, the terrorism trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), reached a critical phase today in the Federal High Court in Abuja.
- Court Ultimatum: Justice James Omotosho issued a stern warning that Kanu “may forfeit his right to enter a defence” if he fails to open his defense by Wednesday, November 5, 2025, after repeatedly refusing to do so.
- Kanu’s Position: Kanu maintains that he will not enter a defence because he believes “there is no valid charge, known to any extant law, that is pending against him.”
