By Huldah Shado

Former U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened military action against Nigeria, accusing the government of failing to stop what he described as the persecution of Christians.

In a post on his social media platform, Trump said he had instructed the Pentagon to prepare for possible intervention, warning that Washington would “immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” if the alleged killings continued.

“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will stop all aid and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to wipe out the Islamic terrorists committing these atrocities,” Trump wrote.

His remarks came after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rejected Trump’s earlier designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” describing it as inaccurate and unfair.

“Religious freedom and tolerance remain core to our national identity,” Tinubu said in a statement on Saturday, stressing that Nigeria protects the rights of all faiths.

Trump, however, maintained that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria, blaming “radical Islamists” for the violence.

His comments followed U.S. Senator Ted Cruz’s recent call for Congress to classify Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom.

As of Saturday, the U.S. Department of Defense had not issued any statement on Trump’s directive.

However, his warning marks one of the most aggressive statements yet by a former American president regarding Nigeria’s religious tensions.

By Olokuta Rofiat

Former Nigerian Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has been appointed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), to head its election observation mission for Côte d’Ivoire’s upcoming presidential election scheduled for October 25, 2025.

In a statement on Sunday, ECOWAS said the mission would be deployed from October 19 to 29, in accordance with its Supplementary Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

As Head of Mission, Osinbajo will lead a team of senior West African officials to engage national stakeholders, coordinate with observer groups, and assess the entire electoral process, from pre-election activities to voting and results collation.

The regional bloc described the move as part of its “unwavering commitment to promoting peace, stability, and credible elections” in West Africa, noting that the Ivorian election holds key implications for regional democracy and stability.

The ECOWAS delegation will meet electoral authorities, political parties, civil society, and the media, and will issue a preliminary report after the polls assessing the credibility of the election.

By Adenike Lawal

Nigerians are expressing concern that the ongoing shutdown of the United States government could disrupt visa processing, student travel plans, and other consular services.

The shutdown followed a budget standoff in Washington after President Donald Trump and lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on spending.

At the centre of the dispute is Democratic pressure for increased healthcare funding, which Republicans strongly oppose.

Although essential services such as the military, postal service, and welfare programmes remain operational, the closure has forced several federal agencies to suspend activities.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that up to 750,000 federal employees could be furloughed without pay daily until a deal is struck.

This is the first government shutdown since the record-breaking 35-day closure nearly seven years ago during Trump’s first term.

Since the introduction of the modern budget system in 1976, the U.S. has witnessed 21 shutdowns, highlighting the recurring political battles over spending.

For Nigerians with upcoming travel plans, authorities have advised monitoring official updates via travel.state.gov to confirm the status of visa appointments, passport processing, and other consular services.