They’re Angry Because They Feel That Trump’s Statements is a Threat to Tinubu’s Regime- Effiong

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong weighed in on the escalating diplomatic row between Nigeria and the United States on Sunday, November 2, 2025, suggesting that the Nigerian government’s backers fear U.S. commentary as an existential threat.

In a social media post, Effiong asserted that the widespread anger towards critics stems from the feeling that President Donald Trump’s recent statements endanger the stability of the current Nigerian “regime.”

He drew a direct correlation between supporting national progress and condemning electoral misconduct, arguing, “They’re angry because they feel that Trump’s statements is a threat to the regime. If you genuinely love Nigeria, you’ll not be antagonizing those who are fighting for a better country. You can’t love Nigeria and support rigging elections.”

Effiong’s remarks come amidst the fallout from the U.S. designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) on October 31, citing alleged severe violations of religious freedom, particularly against Christians.

The U.S. President stated that “radical Islamists” were responsible for a mass slaughter and that Christianity faces an “existential threat” in the West African nation.

The Nigerian government vehemently rejected the CPC label and its underlying claims.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a Saturday statement, firmly pushed back, asserting that the characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant did not reflect the nation’s reality.

The government maintained that the country has constitutional guarantees to protect all faiths and that religious freedom remains a core tenet of its identity.