Ahmad: Nigerians Behind U.S. Sanctions Have Put Country in Trouble

Former Presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, on Saturday faulted some Nigerians for allegedly aiding the United States in redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), saying the action has placed the nation in a difficult situation.

Ahmad, who served as Special Assistant on Digital Media to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, made the remark in a post on X (formerly Twitter) while reacting to the U.S. government’s decision announced on Friday.

The administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump had reclassified Nigeria as a CPC over alleged persecution and killings of Christians.

Ahmad accused some clerics and activists of collaborating with certain American officials to secure the designation.

He wrote:

“Finally, some of our own countrymen, with the help of certain U.S. officials, have landed us in this mess. Nigeria has almost solely relied on the United States in its fight against terrorism, purchasing the majority of our sophisticated weapons from them.

“Now, with the new sanctions, how are we supposed to effectively confront the very same terrorists committing these atrocities?”

The former aide warned that the move could hinder Nigeria’s counterterrorism operations and strain its long-standing defence relations with Washington.

The Federal Government has, however, rejected the genocide allegations, insisting that the security challenges confronting the country are not religiously motivated but criminal in nature.