Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has said that salvation of Nigeria lies solely in responsible leadership and not foreign intervention.

Sowore stated this in reaction to the recent comment by US President Donald Trump, declaring that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria.

UGAMATV reports that Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, declared Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, in response to allegations of widespread persecution and genocide against Christians.

“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter.

“I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’ My administration will stand ready, willing, and able to save our great Christian population around the world,” he wrote.

In a swift reaction via his verified X handle on Saturday, Sowore described Trump’s concern as misplaced, warning against reducing Nigeria’s complex insecurity to a religious issue.

According to him, the real threat to Nigerians, regardless of faith, stems from decades of corruption, poor governance, and failed leadership.

He said, “Nigeria should have long been cited as a Country of Concern for its persistent failure to protect its citizens. At every level, the state has failed to safeguard the vulnerable Christians, Muslims, and traditional believers alike. Children, women, students, workers, and the elderly have all suffered under the weight of corruption and illegitimate leadership.”

The former presidential candidate expressed sympathy for Christian communities in some northern states who have faced recurring attacks, but also noted that Muslim populations in the north live under the same terror.

“I recognise the pain of the Christian communities in Benue, Plateau, Gombe, and Kaduna, who continue to face relentless attacks, just as the Muslim populations in Katsina, Zamfara, Borno, and Yobe also need protection from marauding killers.

“Across the nation, Nigerians whipped by hunger, poverty, and displacement cry out for safety and dignity,” he added.