By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Human rights lawyer and lead Counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has urged the Nigerian government not to disregard the threat issued by U.S. President, Donald Trump.

Recall that Trump following reports of alleged Christian killings in the country, had vowed to send American forces to fight it.

Ejiofor in a statement titled “Monday Musing: When the Eagle Roars President Trump’s War Directive and the Diplomatic Reverberations Nigeria Must Not Ignore,” which was made available to journalists in Awka cautioned that the U.S. President who is known for his assertive and often unpredictable foreign policy rarely issues empty threats.

He drew attention to President Trump’s recent post on his Truth Social platform, where he described Nigeria as a “now disgraced country” and hinted that the United States might “go in guns blazing.”

The Rights Lawyer said, "This should not be dismissed as mere rhetorical flourish, but rather understood as a diplomatic thunderclap capable of triggering serious international repercussions.

"Those familiar with the weight of every syllable uttered by the Commander-in-Chief of the world’s most formidable military should know that this is no idle bluster.

"Trump’s claim of having “instructed the Department of War to prepare for possible action”, though unofficial signals a symbolic mobilization that Nigeria’s diplomatic establishment cannot afford to ignore.

"Trump in his leadership has demonstrated a readiness to translate words into decisive military action.

“Before anyone dismisses this as the musings of an aging political titan seeking relevance, we must remember that this is the same man who ordered the elimination of an Iranian general with clinical precision and redrew entire global alliances with a single tweet. Trump may speak with the swagger of a showman, but his words have historically carried the weight of intent.”

He further warned that if Nigeria’s security agencies fail to decisively confront those responsible for sectarian violence, the ensuing vacuum could invite foreign intervention.

Ejiofor emphasized that the United States intelligence network operates not on conjecture, but on a foundation of “satellites, precision, and policy, saying, "When the Americans decide to act, history shows they seldom knock politely.”

While advocating proactive diplomatic engagement with Washington to clarify Nigeria’s position, rebuilding confidence, and preventing unnecessary escalation, Ejiofor enjoined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to view the situation through a foreign policy and national security lens.

He further called for a comprehensive human rights response, urging the Nigerian government to transparently investigate alleged religious killings and demonstrate to the international community that Nigeria remains committed to the rule of law, human dignity, and religious freedom.

Ejiofor stated: "Diplomacy, if properly deployed, could transform potential confrontation into strategic partnership.

“Nigeria must not wait for the roar of the eagle to become a strike. This is the moment to act, to engage, and to reaffirm our sovereignty through responsible diplomacy.

"When a man who commands the world’s most sophisticated military machine speaks, it is wise, indeed, prudent, for nations to listen. And when that man happens to be Donald J. Trump, a figure known for making words do the work of missiles, discerning minds must go beyond the surface and read between the ferocious lines."

The statement in detail:

President Trump’s recent declaration on his Truth Social platform, in which he referred to Nigeria as a “now disgraced country” and hinted that the United States might “go in guns blazing,” is not a mere rhetorical flourish. It is a thunderclap with diplomatic tremors. Those familiar with the weight of every syllable uttered by the Commander-in-Chief of the world’s most formidable army should know that this is no idle bluster.

Let us carefully unpack the salient points of that post, for they are as instructive as they are alarming.

First, the phrase: “USA may very well go into that now disgraced country guns blazing.” That is no casual metaphor. It suggests readiness, an impatience, even, with what is perceived as a moral or security collapse within Nigeria.

Second, Trump’s assertion that he has “instructed the Department of War to prepare for possible action” (a phrase that, though unofficial, should send shivers down diplomatic corridors) implies a symbolic mobilization of conscience, if not of arms.

And thirdly, the chilling promise: “If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet.” Those words are not just rhetorical sugar; they are the kind of language that has preceded many of history’s “shock and awe” campaigns.

Now, before anyone dismisses this as the musings of an aging political titan seeking relevance, let us remember that the same man once ordered the elimination of an Iranian general with clinical precision, and redrew entire global alliances with a single tweet. Trump may speak with the swagger of a showman, but his words have historically carried the weight of intent.

It would therefore be naïve, indeed, dangerously so, for Nigerian officials to wave off this development as the usual Trumpian theatre. When the Eagle of the West clears its throat, the wise dove listens.

Beneath the rhetoric lies a coded indictment. Referring to Nigeria as a “disgraced country” betrays a bottled-up diplomatic frustration, a deep-seated discontent with certain actions or inactions of our government, particularly regarding its engagement with terrorist elements under the deceptive banner of “peace dialogue.”

One must ask: how does a sovereign government justify photo sessions with blood-soaked bandits, draped in ammunition belts like fashion accessories, even as innocent Christians are slaughtered in their homes and churches? How does a nation negotiate with terrorists while its citizens bury pastors and parishioners? If that is not disgrace, what then qualifies?

These public spectacles of appeasement, cloaked as amnesty, are more than national embarrassment, they are moral capitulations. And no responsible foreign government, least of all one as hawkishly security-conscious as the United States, will quietly observe such weakness and indifference without forming conclusions.

For too long, Nigeria’s approach to insecurity has oscillated between denial and diplomacy, even as villages burn and widows multiply. The recent clips circulating online showing the gruesome execution of twelve Christians, including a pastor, by jihadist Fulani herdsmen, are more than atrocities, they are a national indictment.

Let it be clearly stated: if our security apparatus fails to decisively confront these killers, the vacuum will invite foreign intervention. And when the Americans decide to act, as history shows, they seldom knock politely. Their intelligence network is not guided by guesswork; it is guided by satellites, precision, and policy.

It would therefore be wise for the Nigerian government to “make hay while the sun still shines,” for if the storm comes, it may not wait for diplomatic clearance. Trump’s words, whether or not officially adopted by the U.S. establishment, have already planted a seed in global discourse, a seed that could blossom into action if Nigeria continues to look the other way while her citizens perish.

The time for excuses has expired. The time for action is now.