Prominent Nigerian politician and former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has earned widespread praise from Nigerians for his bold response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
Kwankwaso, who currently leads the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and is a former presidential candidate, took to his official account on X (formerly Twitter) to address Trump’s controversial remarks, which have drawn sharp reactions both locally and internationally.
“I have noted with increasing concern the heightened pronouncements on Nigeria by President Donald Trump,” Kwankwaso said. “This follows his designation of Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern.’ It is important to emphasise that our country is a sovereign nation whose people face different threats from outlaws across the country.”
The NNPP leader stressed that Nigeria’s insecurity challenges are not driven by religion or ethnicity. “The insecurity we face does not distinguish based on religious, ethnic, or political beliefs,” he stated, urging the U.S. government to support Nigeria through advanced technology and intelligence sharing rather than punitive measures.
“The United States should assist the Nigerian authorities with better cutting-edge technology to tackle these problems, rather than posing a threat that could further polarise our country,” Kwankwaso added.
He also called on the Nigerian government to strengthen diplomatic engagement with Washington. “The government should consider appointing special envoys from its distinguished diplomats to engage the American government,” he advised, adding that Nigeria must “appoint permanent ambassadors to represent its interests on the international stage.”
Kwankwaso concluded his message with a call for national unity, saying, “To my fellow countrymen, this is an important moment where we should emphasise unity of belonging over division. God bless Nigeria.”
Following his statement, many Nigerians on social media praised Kwankwaso for his courage and statesmanship in countering Trump’s claims, while questioning the silence of Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — both of whom contested against Kwankwaso in the 2023 presidential election.
Social media users described Kwankwaso’s remarks as “a voice of reason” and “the leadership Nigeria needs at a time like this,” urging other political leaders to also defend the country’s image on the global stage.