Lamido also called for Nigerians to unite in defense of the nation’s sovereignty, irrespective of religion or background.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to set aside pride and convene a meeting of all past Nigerian leaders to deliberate on the recent threat issued by former United States President Donald Trump against Nigeria.
He made the call on Sunday in a now-trending statement he shared on his official Facebook page.
Trump had on Saturday asked the Defense Department to prepare for possible military action in Nigeria if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.”
He went on to say his administration will also immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump added that the U.S. may “very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
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Reacting to the threat, Lamido, who was once Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, described the former U.S. president’s comments as “very ominous,” warning that the potential consequences could be devastating if not properly managed.
“The threat of war on Nigeria from [former] President Trump of the United States of America, under whatever guise, is very ominous. The consequences of such action cannot be imagined,” he said.
The former governor urged Nigerians to remain united in defense of the country’s sovereignty, regardless of religion or background.
“It is now time for all Nigerians of all creeds to unite around our sovereignty. President Tinubu, on his part, must swallow his pride and invite all our past leaders for a closed-door meeting to fully discuss and find a way around this dangerous development,” Lamido stated.
He further appealed to former Presidents and Heads of State to set aside political and personal differences and work closely with the Tinubu administration to prevent any escalation of tensions.
“Our former Presidents and Heads of State are eminently positioned to engage the USA and President Trump in an all-out quiet diplomacy, outside the media realm, to resolve whatever concerns the U.S. may have,” he added.
Lamido concluded by stressing that Nigeria does not have the luxury of time and called for urgent and collective action to safeguard the nation’s stability and sovereignty.
