Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has reacted to threats by US President Donald Trump to intervene militarily to protect Christians in Nigeria, saying the nation’s security challenges are far more complex than a simple Christian–Muslim divide.
Speaking during a live media chat on ARISE News and other national television stations on Sunday, Soludo stressed that any form of US involvement must come only at the invitation of the Nigerian government and in line with international law.
“As a country, America has the right to hold views about what happens elsewhere,” Soludo said. “But when it comes to taking action, it must be done within the framework of international law.”
The governor, who hails from the South-East region, argued that many of the killings in that part of Nigeria were not religiously motivated. According to him, the violence is largely internal and unrelated to faith differences.
“People are killing themselves — Christians killing Christians,” he said. “The people in the bushes are Emmanuel, Peter, John — all Christian names — and they have maimed and killed thousands of our youths. It has nothing to do with religion.”
Soludo maintained that Nigeria’s government was capable of addressing its internal security challenges and could seek international support only through proper diplomatic channels.
He criticised the notion of a US “invasion” on religious grounds, drawing parallels with America’s own history of racial tensions.
“When policemen were killing Black people in the US, and the #BlackLivesMatter protests were going on, should Africa have threatened to invade America?” he asked. “That’s the same logic here.”
The governor called for “a deeper conversation” on the country’s internal crises, urging Nigerians to resist external narratives that oversimplify their realities.
“In this part of the country, we are about 95 percent Christian. Those in the bushes killing people are also Christians. It’s broader than this Christian–Muslim categorisation,” he said. “Nigeria will overcome, and it will end in conversation, not confrontation.”
Soludo, who is seeking re-election next Saturday, reaffirmed his confidence in the Nigerian government’s ability to safeguard the country and urged the international community to approach the issue with nuance and respect for sovereignty.
