France on Sunday, indicated its interest in helping President Bola Tinubu rout out the band of killers terrorising parts of Nigeria, particularly in the North, indicating a major boost to what seems an intractable decade-old crisis in the country.
The pledge came directly from Emanuel Macron, the French President, who personally informed that he personally discussed the situation with his Nigerian counterpart, in what he said signalled a stronger partnership with the country.
Using his X platform on Sunday to pass the message, Macron said he had spoken with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reaffirm France’s support as Nigeria confronts widespread insecurity, adding that his country would deepen cooperation with Nigerian authorities and increase assistance to vulnerable communities affected by violence.
The French leader also urged the international community to intensify its involvement, warning that the global response cannot be passive.
“I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria, @officialABAT.
“I conveyed France’s solidarity in the face of the various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the North.
“At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations. We call on all our partners to step up their engagement.
“No one can remain a spectator,” Macron wrote.
His comments come amid heightened global attention on Nigeria’s internal security challenges, following repeated claims by former United States President Donald Trump that Christian communities across the country are facing increasing violence.
Trump has alleged that attacks on Christians are worsening, calling the situation alarming compared with global trends. Weeks earlier, he posted on his Truth Social platform that he had directed the U.S. War Department to prepare for possible action in Nigeria, accusing the Nigerian government of ignoring the killings.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote.
He continued: “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
