Nigeria Must Not Become the Battlefield for a Global Conflict
By Pastor Stanley Ajileye
Recent declarations and comments from certain quarters of the United States government, particularly from a U.S. Congressman who accused Nigeria of genocide, should concern every peace-loving Nigerian. While it is natural for the international community to express concern over issues of insecurity and terrorism, the narrative being woven around Nigeria today is both worrisome and misleading.
In his prophecy for 2025, Pastor E. A. Adeboye urged all believers to pray that new wars will not start and old wars will not escalate so that the world is not plunged into another global conflict. His admonition is timely and prophetic. The drums of war—political, ideological, and religious—are beating faintly in the background of global affairs, and discerning minds must not ignore them.
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If there will ever be another world war, many believe it will revolve around religion. But God forbid that Nigeria should become its battlefield.
It must be clearly stated: the terrorism ravaging Nigeria is not a religious war. It is a war of conquest and occupation by organized criminal and foreign elements who exploit our porous borders and weak governance structures. Christians and Muslims alike have been victims—slaughtered, displaced, and traumatized. No faith community in Nigeria has been spared the pain.
Those who try to interpret Nigeria’s crisis through the narrow lens of religious cleansing are missing the truth. The Nigerian landscape is far too complex, interwoven, and culturally blended for such simplistic conclusions. I am 62 years old; I have seen Christians and Muslims live together peacefully under the same roof, sharing meals, raising children, and celebrating life together. In my parish, weekly prayer meetings are attended not only by Christians but also by Muslim neighbors who believe in the power of communal supplication.
While we appreciate the concern of the United States and its Congress over the human rights situation in Nigeria, we must also appeal for restraint and fairness. The United States was invited at the onset of this crisis—when the terrorists were still concentrated in the Sambisa forest. That was the time surgical operations could have uprooted the evil. Unfortunately, the world looked away. Now the hydra-headed monster of terrorism has spread across the nation, infiltrating rural communities and urban centers alike.
Any external intervention now must be guided by caution and wisdom. Misguided or militarized actions, under the wrong assumptions, could set the entire West African region on fire. Nigeria must not be turned into a battlefield or used as a military base for a larger geopolitical contest—whether against Traoré of Burkina Faso or any other figure. The consequences of such moves could be catastrophic.
Nigeria’s challenges demand cooperation, not confrontation. What we need is strategic intelligence sharing, capacity building, and investment in local peace architecture. The United States and other global powers should see Nigeria not as a pawn in a regional chess game, but as a partner in stabilizing Africa.
Let the world understand this: Nigeria’s strength lies in her diversity. Despite our political and ethnic tensions, our interfaith bonds remain strong. Our collective enemy is terrorism—not Islam, not Christianity, not any ethnic group.
If the world must intervene, let it be with the goal of empowering Nigerians to rebuild, reconcile, and resist the forces of chaos.
Nigeria must not be the spark that ignites another world war.
Like Daddy Adeboye advised , we must all pray and act to ensure that peace prevails—not only within our borders but across the world.
Stanley Ajileye is a Journalist, a clergy and political activist based in Kogi State Nigeria.
