MAKURDI—The Benue State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has aligned itself with United States President Donald Trump’s declaration of Nigeria as a “Country of Concern,” citing the alleged targeting and killing of Christians by terrorists, according to INDEPENDENT reporting.
The Benue State Committee Chairman of the party, Rt. Hon. Terngu Tsegba, issued a statement through the State Committee Publicity Secretary, Stevie Ayua, on Monday in Makurdi. The statement urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to see Trump’s position as a “wakeup call” rather than condemning it.
Tsegba described Benue as one of the “worst hit” states in the country, suffering from the killing of Christians. According to the statement, “The ADC Benue State chapter has agreed with America’s president Trump’s position on the genocide against Christians in Nigeria confirming that one of the worst hit states in this calculated attacks and killings is Benue and advised president Tinubu to consider it a wake up call and rise up to his responsibility as a president.”
The party highlighted the severe impact in the state: “Terrorists have for so long now freely launched attacks on many villages in Guma, Logo, Agatu, Ukum, Katsina Ala, Kwande and Gwer-West Local Government Areas of Benue state killing thousands of unarmed innocent Christians and forcing thousands others to live in makeshift IDP camps across the State with little or no action taken by the President Tinubu administration to address the situation.”
Tsegba acknowledged that “President Trump’s words may sound as an infringement on Nigeria’s sovereignty as a nation but must be taken seriously by the Tinubu government.” He advised the government to urgently “rise up to defend the Nigerian Constitution and its people especially the Christian brotherhood.” Tsegba concluded that “Instead of condemning President Trump’s position, the Tinubu administration should engage the US government diplomatically and leverage on her superior intelligence and fire power to stop the ongoing genocide.”