By Abdulmumin Giwa
Donald Trump, the president of the United States of America has declared Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) claiming that there is ongoing genocide against the Christians by terrorists.
Although it is clear that the Nigerian Muslims are the major victims of the terrorists activities mostly taking place in the Northwest geopolitical zone.
Thousands of Nigerians have been killed by terrorists with villages dispersed and farmlands destroyed.
Yet with all the vivid evidences that it is not true that there is any genocide against Christians in Nigeria, Trump mischievously declared Nigeria as CPC.
People might not understand why he did that claiming to be protecting Christians while he is making a different claim against Venezuela, a Christian country, proving that it is not protecting Christians that is his concern.
The real reason why Trump wants Nigeria ungovernable is economic and has nothing to do with any genocide or any religion, at least it is clear that Saudi Arabia, a Muslim country, is like the 52nd state of the US because it dances to it’s tune, while Islamic Republic of Iran is managing tens of sanctions on it by the US because it doesn’t dance to it’s tune.
The real reasons behind Trump’s declaration against Nigeria are actually economic. Nigeria has put in place policies that are not in favour of the US economy.
Nigeria has joined BRICS as a partner country. The list of countries here including Russia, China, Iran Brazil and others, are all independent of American control and also encouraging business in their local currencies. This is not in favour of the US.
A Chinese firm has invested over $1.3 billion in Nigeria’s lithium sector and this is not in the interest of the US. Nigeria signed agreement with Chinese companies after rejecting TESLA.
Nigeria is dedollarizing and encouraging the use of local currency by foreign airlines. More so, this agreement is with China and does not favour the US.
Nigeria is supporting the Palestinians in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as against the US interest of backing Israel.
The most important part is the recent declaration to be by Dangote Refinery to increase oil refining that will completely stop the importation of refined oil from the US. This is seriously affecting the US economy because Nigeria imports oil from the US and now it has more than enough and would not have to import again.
The US has lost to China in the trade war and more under developed as well as developing countries are turning to China, including Nigeria, and the US is not pleased with this.
More so, with the Francophone countries that have faced centuries of exploitation and have finally turned their backs against France, the US wants to replace the might of the french in the West African region with its own might and made a proposal to the Nigerian government to establish a military base in Nigeria, but the Nigerian government refused.
As usual, it would want to use force to come into Nigeria, that is why the Trump’s mischief of declaring Nigeria as CPC.
By destabilizing Nigeria and making it ungovernable, it will have total control over its resources which it will exploit to enhance its own economy and also stop all the agreements between Nigeria and China.
I think the best person to bring an end to this are the Nigerian Christians. They should unite, come out and take to the streets and declare that what Trump is saying is not true.