By SHEDDY OZOENE
When the United States named Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern and hinted at possible military action to counter perceived genocide against the country’s Christians, many Nigerians were angry. Some saw it as interference; others felt it was an insult to our independence. But behind all the reactions is an uncomfortable truth: the warning pushed our leaders to act. In that sense, it has turned out, it would seem, a blessing in disguise.
For years, Nigerians of all backgrounds have lived with the fear of terrorism. Communities have been attacked, people displaced, and whole areas left unsafe because of weak governance and poor accountability. Government after government offered excuses or half–measures. Nigerians lost trust. Security failures became normal. Even as government defended itself against the charge of Christian genocide by saying Muslims also were targeted, it only exposed its ineptitude.
Then the U.S. designation came. Suddenly, issues that had been ignored for years became urgent. Incidents once brushed aside as “clashes” or “isolated cases” were finally taken seriously as part of a national crisis. Even the farmers-herders clashes, a euphemism for displacing locals from their farmlands, are now viewed more seriously.
Government response has been swift, even if it still falls short of expectations. President Bola Tinubu quickly reshuffled the security leadership. Service chiefs were changed. General Christopher Musa, earlier removed as Chief of Defence Staff, returned as Defence Minister after his predecessor, Abubakar Badaru, resigned. There were renewed calls for deeper reforms. These actions were not routine—they were clearly driven by pressure and the fear of global consequences.
Even more important is the change in attitude. For the first time in a long while, officials admitted that talking to armed groups has not worked. The new Defence Minister instructed the military to take firm action against terrorists and said the era of negotiations with violent groups must end. This is a big shift from past approaches that relied on dialogue or suspicious amnesty.
Most importantly, the U.S. pressure reminded the government of its most basic duty: to protect its citizens.
It may be embarrassing that it took an external warning to achieve this, but we cannot deny that the warning had an effect.
Nigerians have often said that the government only reacts when the international community steps in. Sadly, recent events support that view. The U.S. threat forced officials to respond, explain themselves, and show that they were making efforts to control the situation. With the world watching, Nigeria could not fall back on empty statements or endless committees.
Still, we must remember: America did not act out of kindness. The U.S. always defends its own interests. And foreign military intervention is never something Nigeria should welcome. We have seen what happened in Libya and elsewhere.
But the lesson is clear. If external pressure has pushed our leaders to finally take security seriously, then Nigerians should use this moment to demand even more accountability—this time from within, not because another nation is watching.
