US-based Nigerian tells Tinubu how to respond to Trump’s military action threat

A United States-based Nigerian, Baba Adam, has written to President Bola Tinubu and several top government officials and private citizens, urging them to take decisive diplomatic and political steps in response to what he described as a “reckless and unprecedented” threat of military action against Nigeria by US President Donald Trump.

In an email sent on Sunday, Mr Adam said Mr Trump’s remarks, shared on his Truth Social account on 1 November, amounted to “gunboat diplomacy” and a violation of international law.

The university administrator and activist called for “immediate, resolute action” by the Nigerian government to protect the country’s sovereignty and dignity.

“We categorically reject this reckless display of gunboat diplomacy and urge immediate, resolute action to safeguard Nigeria’s sovereignty,” Mr Adam wrote.

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Among the measures he recommended, Mr Adam urged the Tinubu administration to summon the US Ambassador to Nigeria immediately and lodge a formal protest against any perceived interference in the country’s internal affairs.

He also advised that Nigeria should not hesitate to “cut diplomatic relations with the USA” if necessary.

The US-based activist further called on the Nigerian government to take the following actions in response to Mr Trump’s threat.

– File an urgent resolution at the United Nations Security Council affirming Nigeria’s sovereign rights and condemning any threat of aggression.

– Convene an emergency ECOWAS and African Union summit to declare that an attack on Nigeria is tantamount to an attack on Africa.

– Urge the National Assembly to pass a resolution condemning the alleged U.S. threat and reaffirming Nigeria’s territorial integrity.

Mr Adam also advised President Tinubu to test the loyalty of Nigeria’s allies in Europe.

“You may want to activate your relationship with the French leadership, even though we think they are weak and cannot challenge the USA… but it is a good test to see if they are true friends of Nigeria,” he wrote.

Mr Adam was reacting to Mr Trump’s recent attacks on Nigeria. On 31 October, the American president declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC),” after falsely alleging Christian genocide in the country.

In a subsequent post on 1 November, Mr Trump issued what Mr Adam refers to as “an alarming and unprecedented threat of military action” against Nigeria.

Context and geopolitical implications of Mr Trump’s action

According to Mr Adam, recent U.S. actions, including visa restrictions, the designation of Nigeria under the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, and now what he called an “overt threat of invasion”, are part of a broader campaign to “undermine Nigeria’s ascent.”

He argued that Nigeria’s refusal accept deportees from the US, its engagement with BRICS, and its ongoing economic reforms, such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the commissioning of the Dangote Refinery, have unsettled “certain global actors.”

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“If the US Government is genuinely concerned about insecurity in Nigeria, it should share actionable intelligence on banditry and terrorism,” he wrote.

“What we require is partnership—not provocation—and access to the arms and equipment necessary to secure our territory.”

Mr Adam also linked the recent tensions to broader global politics, suggesting that the Israeli lobby was working to divert attention from the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

He urged Nigeria to join South Africa’s genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and stand “on the side of justice.”

“Nigeria must stand on the side of justice and join South Africa’s case at the ICJ to hold perpetrators accountable for alleged war crimes and genocide,” he said.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian government had not officially responded to Mr Adam’s letter or to President Trump’s threat of military action against the world’s most populous black nation.