Politicians, Not Nigeria, A People of Particular Concern

By Eben Enasco

The recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), by the US government sparked intense debate, with many Nigerians expressing concern over President Donald Trump’s statement.

Amidst the backlash, some Nigerians believe that a more fitting designation would be “Politicians of Particular Concern” (PPC), given the country’s complex issues and perceived role of politicians in exacerbating them.

This perspective suggests that the problems in Nigeria are more related to governance and leadership rather than the country or its people.

This viewpoint is understandable, considering the widespread perception that Nigerian politicians are often more focused on personal gain than the welfare of their constituents.

However, Trump’s findings premised on reports of widespread persecution of Christians, including killings, kidnappings, and attacks on churches, have attracted different views from prominent citizens.

The CPC designation, which aims to highlight countries with severe violations of religious freedom, has been met with criticism from the Nigerian government, and some prominent citizens who argues that the country’s security challenges are multifaceted and not solely driven by religious differences.

Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has strongly reacted to US President Donald Trump’s assertion that Christianity in Nigeria faces an “existential threat.”

In placing Nigeria on the US “Countries of Particular Concern” list, Trump cited alleged mass killings of Christians by radical Islamist groups.

Sani described Trump’s stance as misleading and divisive, arguing that it distorts Nigeria’s security reality. He emphasized that terrorist and bandit attacks over the past 15 years have targeted both Muslims and Christians, with religion never being the defining factor.

Sani pointed out that Muslims have borne a heavier brunt of these attacks due to the areas where terrorists operate, saying, “Muslims have actually suffered more and recorded more casualties because of the areas those evil terrorists operate.”

He criticized the US for relying on incomplete narratives and urged the international community to focus on Nigeria’s genuine security challenges rather than fueling religious tensions.

In addition, Sani condemned the US legislative measure led by Senator Ted Cruz, which seeks to impose sanctions on individuals enforcing Sharia and blasphemy laws in Nigeria. He described the bill as an unjust attack on the legal framework, cultural values, and religious sensitivities of Nigerian Muslims.

Others argued that Nations don’t embark on costly interventions across oceans out of sheer charity.

They accused the US interest in Nigeria of having stems from its estimated 37 billion barrels of oil reserves and vast untapped Rare Earth Minerals crucial for its defense and tech industries.

According to their claims, the US military acts as a global resource acquisition agency, not a church enforcement arm adding that when ‘rescue’ is invoked, the cost is calculated in crude oil and lithium.

One questioned; What’s about to be ‘rescued’ is America’s industrial supply chain. Geopolitical interests shouldn’t be confused with compassion.” “The media frenzy shouldn’t alarm us; sensational stories sell.

While they continued to say that Nigeria’s security crisis is real, they emphasized that it’s a complex issue affecting both Muslims and Christians nationwide.

According to them, “this is a national problem, not a one-faith issue. Rather than media propaganda, let’s examine the funding channels fueling wars in other countries, as Representative Scott highlighted with evidence. Nigeria is a sovereign nation, distinct from Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, or Gaza.”

Contrastingly, other Nigerians are hailing President Trump for the bold call to rescue Christians.

According to them, “We, Nigerian Christians, eagerly await rescue. We’ll leave it to God to judge the intentions of those who claim to help. Our suffering is real, and we’ve buried too many loved ones. We’ve cried until our eyes are dry. We pray for deliverance, but we also recognize that true help comes from God.”

This trending designation implies that the US government acknowledges the severity of the situation and is committed to taking action to address these human rights abuses.

However, with the liability of the people caused by insincere politicians and their cronies, there is a need to rephrase it to call out elements within the political space in Nigeria who are believed to be playing games with the lives of the people.

The CPC designation should have been labelled as Politicians of Particular Concern, PPC, which can have implications for diplomatic relations, trade, and humanitarian aid.

Politicians are the divisive components benefiting from the attacks through gun running deals.

Most dangerous weapons cannot be sold to these criminals, without government personnel being involved

The ambushes of military operatives have claimed lives of combatant force officers, because in-house personnel sold off to disrupt the operation.

Every ruling government in Nigeria is only concerned about increasing wealth for their Tenth generations to come, while those in the present generations are starved.

Nigeria’s value system is not to be blamed, but those running the values who are so condemned to self-benefits at the detriment of society.

The World Watch Dog Nations must not only share the killings sentiment of Christians alone but critically look into leadership behaviors and their policy frameworks.

In Nigeria, the cabals have left citizens reeling in poverty, death trolling and absolute mess. Anyone seeking to rescue the country called Nigeria, must do so in wholeness, including our electoral and judiciary systems evaluation.

Trump’s call should not be seen as divisive as claimed by some notable citizens but a wakeup call.

It’s not just a symbolic gesture; it can lead to concrete actions, such as targeted sanctions or aid restrictions, aimed at pressuring the government to reform and protect its citizens’ rights.

In essence, labelling people or groups as “of particular concern” highlights their vulnerability and the need for urgent attention and action to ensure their safety and well-being.

When someone says, “people of particular concern,” it generally refers to individuals or groups who are considered vulnerable or at risk due to various reasons such as persecution, violence, or discrimination.

In the context of international relations and human rights, the term “Country of Particular Concern” CPC is to describe countries that have shown egregious patterns of religious intolerance, discrimination, or persecution.

But politicians of like minds since the democratic process in Nigeria have been responsible for the  systemic challenges.

Those who have and are representing the people in government have shown no purposeful directions but self-centered attributes, sniffing and suffocating the larger society of their democratic dividends.

In Nigeria politics, once you become the President, Governor, Senate President, Speaker, Minister, Commissioner and LGA Chairman,  Your wealth is doubled without checks in weeks.

President Trump pointer is widely seen by the egalitarian society as a welcomed development to end the brutal killings of innocent people, mostly Christians in the country.

The most prominent and widely recognized insurgency in Nigeria began with the Boko Haram uprising in 2009.

This insurgency started after the Nigerian government suppressed the group, leading to the death of its leader, Mohammed Yusuf, and a subsequent escalation in violence.

The seizure of more than 200 schoolgirls near Chibok in 2014 was a much publicized spike in a wider trend.

The group took mostly Christians and later Muslim females to hurt communities that opposed it, as a politically symbolic imposition of its will and as assets.

The US State Department in November 2013 designated Boko Haram a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

Ocha 2016, posit that” since the start of the conflict in 2009, more than 20,000 people have been killed, where thousands of women and girls abducted and many children drafted as so-called suicide bomber into the group.

For over 15 years, civilians in Nigeria have faced multiple security threats and risk of atrocities due to attacks, kidnappings and extortion by various non-state armed groups.

According to reports, approximately 185,000 people, comprising around 125,000 Christians and 60,000 moderate Muslims, have lost their lives in Nigeria since 2009, when the terrorist group Boko Haram launched its violent campaign aimed at establishing a caliphate across the region.

However, it’s worth noting that some analysts argue the actual number of Christian deaths might be lower than claimed.

A senior Africa analyst at ACLED stated that recent claims of 100,000 Christians killed in Nigeria since 2009 are not supported by available data.

Terrorists have invaded forests of Christian states in Nigeria, raping women in their farms, kidnapping and killing their men in like minds

The American President says America stands ready, willing, and able to save the Christian population around the World.

In an X post, the US official said that the United States Department of War is preparing for action if Nigeria fails to protect Christians.

President Trump should not only protect Christians, but Nigeria’s economy from further sliding into the abyss of no return.