***Urges U.S. to Sanction Corrupt, Complicit Nigerian Officials
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has hailed United States President Donald Trump for designating Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over worsening human rights abuses and government failure to protect citizens from insecurity and mass killings.
Frank, in a statement issued in Abuja, described the decision as “bold, moral, and long overdue,” stressing that it reflects global acknowledgment of Nigeria’s deepening crisis under a system plagued by impunity and corruption.
“We commend President Trump for taking this stand—it is long overdue,” Frank said. “By this action, President Trump has shown he cares more about the safety and welfare of ordinary Nigerians than those elected to lead them.”
Trump had announced the designation via his Truth Social account, citing “widespread attacks on Christians” and warning that “Christianity is facing an existential threat” in Nigeria.
He wrote:
“Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN — but that is the least of it.”
Frank said the CPC listing was a direct consequence of the Nigerian government’s refusal to confront insecurity head-on or prosecute those responsible for killings across the country.
He also called on the U.S. to impose targeted sanctions—including visa bans, asset freezes, and restrictions—on Nigerian officials complicit in human rights violations and corruption, while ensuring ordinary citizens are not affected.
“Sanctions should target those directly responsible for atrocities—not citizens already suffering from government failures, Christians and non-Christians alike,” he urged.
Accusing the government of complicity, Frank alleged that “officials know those behind the killings but prefer to negotiate with insurgents and bandits instead of bringing them to justice.”
He further warned that insecurity in Nigeria has become a profitable enterprise for certain individuals within the system, describing corruption and impunity as “the twin engines driving the crisis.”
“The time for polite diplomacy is over. The world must stand with victims, not with those profiting from bloodshed. President Trump’s action gives hope to millions of Nigerians who feel abandoned by their leaders,” he said.
Frank urged other world leaders to emulate Trump’s example in defending human rights globally, warning that failure to act decisively could lead to “more deaths, displacement, and economic decline.”
“The recurring bloodshed is a direct reflection of governance failure. Officials entrusted with protecting lives must be held accountable when they fail,” he added.
Frank, who currently serves as the ULMWP Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East, reaffirmed his call for international accountability mechanisms to address the escalating insecurity in Nigeria.