The Nigerian community in Ireland have criticised comments from US President Donald Trump, after he threatened to intervene military in the country over Islamic extremist attacks on Christians.
In a social media post last weekend, the US president said that Islamic extremists in Nigeria were “killing the Christians and killing them in very large numbers. We’re not going to allow that to happen.”
Speaking with The Irish Catholic, Dublin-based journalist and publisher Chinedu Onyejelem reacted to the President’s posts.
“Especially in the North, the fate of the Christians is that they live in fear every day, especially on Sundays when they go to worship”, Mr Onyejelem said.
“I would agree with President Trump that there is a problem. However, that doesn’t really give President Trump the power to start intervening right away.”
However, Mr Onyejelem said that he would support mutually agreed military assistance from the US if the Nigerian government fails to make inroads.
“If the Nigerian government fails in the next six months to right the wrongs that are going on, then President Trump can in the interest of humanity, both Christians and Muslims, come in and help the Nigerian government.”
“I think in the next couple of days and weeks you will see more actions by the Nigerian government.”
Longford Councillor Uruemu Adejinmi (FF) – who is originally from Nigeria- also reacted to the US President’s comments and said that further military escalation would likely make matters worse for Christians in the country.
“I don’t see how intervention has helped in conflict in other places apart from prolonging it – so I would not be in favour of Trump or anybody intervening”, Cllr Adejinmi said.
“I don’t accept the need for military intervention – especially from the US.”
“Dialogue is always the first course of action and I’m a bit disappointed that dialogue wasn’t proposed.”
