French President Emmanuel Macron has restated France’s determination to deepen security ties with Nigeria as the country faces a surge in violence, terrorism, and large-scale abductions across its northern states.
Posting on X on Sunday, Macron revealed that he had spoken with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and pledged that France would step up its backing at a time when extremist groups are widening their influence and inflicting increasing hardship on local communities.
He signalled France’s intention to work more closely with Nigerian authorities, expanding both security cooperation and humanitarian support for areas hardest hit by unrest.Macron also pressed the international community to move beyond passive observation, stressing that the severity of Nigeria’s security emergency requires strong, united global involvement.
“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,” the French leader posted.
President Macron’s comments is coming at a time when Nigeria’s security challenges continue to attract global scrutiny, intensified by recurring assertions from former U.S. President Donald Trump had said that Christian communities in the country face grave danger, and has repeatedly claimed that violence targeting Christians is worsening, portraying the situation as one of the world’s most serious humanitarian concerns.
Only weeks earlier, he used his Truth Social platform to announce that he had instructed the U.S. War Department to get ready for potential involvement in Nigeria, arguing that the Nigerian authorities were not adequately safeguarding vulnerable populations.
Trump wrote: “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.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet.”
Trump’s remarks have stirred diplomatic debate across Africa at a moment when President Tinubu has already imposed a nationwide security emergency, widening military operations and fast-tracking new recruitment into both the armed forces and the police.
