A former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.), has suggested that the United States may be positioning itself to set up a military base in Nigeria under the guise of addressing religious persecution and insecurity.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at an event organised by the Just Friends Club of Nigeria, Dambazau said recent statements from some U.S. politicians and religious leaders on alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria may be driven by hidden geopolitical motives.

According to him, claims by certain U.S. congressmen and some Catholic clergymen alleging a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria appear to align with broader American strategic interests in the region.

The retired general’s comments follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that he might deploy American troops to Nigeria if attacks against Christians continue.

In a post on his Truth Social account last Saturday, Trump said he had instructed the U.S “Department of War” to prepare for possible military action, and threatened to cut off American aid to Nigeria unless the alleged persecution is stopped.

Dambazau questioned the motives behind such statements, recalling that the U.S. maintained two military bases in Niger Republic for more than a decade but failed to curb insecurity in the Sahel.

“Religious tensions have been heightened by both domestic and foreign actors, sometimes leading to the false framing of general security incidents as attacks on particular faiths,” he said.

“A recent example is the propaganda promoted by some U.S. congressmen and supported by Catholic clergy claiming there is a Christian genocide in Nigeria.”

“President Trump has now designated Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ and has reportedly instructed the U.S Department of War to prepare for possible operations. Whatever that means, time will tell.”

He argued that terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria form part of a wider regional crisis spanning the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, affecting both Muslims and Christians alike.

“Most of the victims are elderly people, women and children, yet their lives seem to matter only when they are identified as Christians,” Dambazau said.

“In over ten years of U.S. presence in Niger, what did Washington do to prevent the escalation of terrorism and insecurity in the region?”

He alleged that Washington’s recent actions could be part of a strategy to find an alternative military foothold in Nigeria, following setbacks in the Niger Republic.

“At the start of Trump’s second term, some U.S. lawmakers even accused USAID of financing terrorism in Africa.”

“I believe the U.S is now seeking an opportunity to establish another base in Nigeria, a country that America has always engaged with primarily to advance its own interests, even through force if necessary,” he stated.

“Unfortunately, there are Nigerians willing to cooperate with such external agendas. Our biggest challenge remains our lack of unity in confronting terrorism and violent crime.”

Dambazau also referenced attacks on mosques, Islamic clerics, and traditional rulers to underscore that the violence in Nigeria is not confined to any religion.

He lamented the government’s inability to safeguard citizens, citing the March 2022 Abuja–Kaduna train attack and the July 2022 Kuje prison break as glaring examples of security lapses.

“It is obvious that Nigeria lacks the capacity to monitor threats in real time or respond effectively to emergencies,” he said.

“In some states, communities have even resorted to negotiating with bandits for protection.”

“In Zamfara and Katsina, for example, residents have signed agreements with bandits, effectively surrendering their safety to them.”

He further noted that IPOB’s sit-at-home orders in the South-East demonstrate how non-state actors can exercise control in the absence of state protection.

Dambazau urged Nigerians to close ranks and resist foreign interference that could exploit internal divisions.

“We must not allow external powers to use our disunity as an excuse for intervention. National cohesion is essential if we are to end terrorism and insecurity,” he warned.

Diplomatic tensions over alleged plans by foreign powers to build military bases in Nigeria resurfaced last year.

In December 2024, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters denied reports that France was planning to establish a base in the country.

The Federal Government also publicly dismissed claims that it had approved any such arrangement.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has called for unity in tackling Nigeria’s security challenges, stressing that violence and terrorism do not recognise religion, ethnicity, or social class.

Speaking at a high-level stakeholders’ meeting on regional development organised by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser in Abuja on Thursday, Shettima said the government is adopting a coordinated strategy aimed at addressing both immediate security threats and the deeper issues undermining peace and stability.

Represented by the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hadejia, the Vice President said all institutions and individuals involved in governance must contribute to rebuilding national unity and trust.

“Every person or organisation engaged in governance must play a part in this mission of national restoration,” Shettima said.

“A bullet or bomb does not recognise ethnicity or religion. When fired by enemies of peace, it kills indiscriminately, the farmer, the trader, the young, and the old. It tears apart the fabric of our multi-ethnic, multi-religious society in devastating ways.”

He warned against allowing divisive narratives to take root, saying that Nigeria’s real challenge lies not only in combating terrorists but also in overcoming the prejudice and sentiments used to divide its people.

“Our task is not only to fight those who commit these acts of violence,” he said, “but also to dismantle the ideas and sentiments that have been weaponised to divide us. We must pay attention to the power of messaging, it must be grounded in empathy and understanding.”

The Vice President noted that insecurity affects all Nigerians equally, regardless of faith or region, and urged leaders to promote messages that unite rather than inflame divisions.

He also emphasised that lasting development can only occur when every part of the country progresses together.

“We cannot claim to have achieved national progress if some parts of the federation are left behind,” Shettima said.

“We need functional institutions that ensure government presence and services in even the most remote communities.”

According to him, the administration’s decision to establish regional development commissions across the six geopolitical zones is part of a broader plan to take governance and growth closer to the people.

These commissions, he explained, are expected to both accelerate regional development and promote shared learning between different parts of the country.

He acknowledged that while previous governments have worked with private sector players and international organisations, many initiatives failed to reflect the unique realities of each region.

He therefore urged the newly created commissions to design solutions tailored to their local needs and priorities.

“Collaboration among these commissions is essential,” he added.

“We must operate with a shared sense of purpose if we are to overcome the longstanding developmental and security challenges facing our country.”

Peru’s Congress has voted to declare Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum as persona non grata – or unwelcome in the country.

The decision comes days after Peru severed diplomatic ties with Mexico, after the Mexican government granted asylum to a former Peruvian prime minister facing charges for a 2022 coup attempt.

Betssy Chávez denies allegations that she played a role in ousted Peruvian President Pedro Castillo’s plan to dissolve congress.

She has taken refuge in the Mexican embassy in Lima.

Mexico says it has offered Chávez asylum in accordance with international law, and rejected Peru’s accusation that it was an “unfriendly act”.

The declaration – passed in a 63-33 vote in the Peruvian Congress – marks the latest escalation in worsening ties between the two Latin American nations.

During the vote, Peruvian legislators also accused the Mexican leader of having close ties to drug trafficking – a claim they gave no evidence for.

Chávez had been imprisoned in June 2023 over her alleged role in Castillo’s plan to dissolve Peru’s legislative body.

She was released by a judge on bail in September and has denied the charges against her.

Prosecutors are seeking a 25-year sentence for Chávez.

Peruvian Foreign Minister Hugo de Zela told the Reuters news agency that legal experts were reviewing the 1954 Caracas Convention on diplomatic asylum, which Mexico used to justify their offer of asylum.

Earlier this week, de Zela said Mexico had tried to “portray the authors of the coup attempt as victims”.

“In reality, Peruvians live and want to continue living in democracy, as recognised by all countries in the world, with the sole and lonely exception of Mexico,” he added.

Peru also accused Mexico of “repeated instances in which the current and former presidents of that country have interfered in Peru’s internal affairs”.

In 2022, Lima expelled Mexico’s ambassador following its decision to grant asylum to Castillo’s wife and children following his arrest.

Last September, the Foreign Relations Committee of Peru’s Congress proposed declaring Sheinbaum a persona non grata for failing to condemn Castillo’s attempted coup and advocating for his release.

The Vatican has issued a new directive instructing Catholics around the world to refrain from calling the Virgin Mary “co-redeemer,” reaffirming that Jesus Christ alone is the Redeemer of humanity.

The guidance, contained in a recent decree approved by Pope Leo, revises several traditional Marian titles, including the popular terms “co-redemptrix” and “mediatrix.”

According to the document, while Mary’s role in salvation history remains deeply revered, it must always be understood as subordinate to Christ’s unique work of redemption.

“Given the need to clarify Mary’s subordinate role to Christ in the work of redemption, it is always inappropriate to use the title ‘Co-redemptrix’ to describe her cooperation,” the decree stated.

“This expression risks overshadowing Christ’s singular salvific mission and may cause confusion within the harmony of Christian truth. It does not serve the faith of the People of God and therefore becomes unhelpful.”

The Vatican stressed that neither Mary nor the Church can add to or complete the redemptive mission of Jesus, who remains the sole mediator between God and humanity.

Addressing the use of “mediatrix,” the decree explained that Scripture explicitly attributes the role of mediator exclusively to Christ.

While acknowledging that Mary acted as a channel of grace by giving birth to the Saviour, the document emphasised that her mediation was “real but clearly secondary.”

The Vatican noted that this clarification is consistent with longstanding Church teaching and not a new doctrine.

It recalled that Pope Francis had, on several occasions, dismissed the use of such titles for Mary.

“Christ is the Mediator, the bridge through which we reach the Father. He is the only Redeemer; there are no co-redeemers with Christ.

He is the Mediator par excellence,” Pope Francis said in 2021.

The new decree thus seeks to affirm traditional Catholic teaching on Mary’s place within salvation history, honouring her as the Mother of God and a model of faith, but not as one who shares Christ’s redemptive power.