Muslim Leaders Warn Netanyahu to Stay Away From Nigeria’s Internal Affairs

Prominent Muslim leaders in Nigeria have issued a strong warning to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging him to refrain from interfering in Nigeria’s internal affairs following recent comments he made concerning security issues in the country.

The warning came after Netanyahu stated that Israel would collaborate with the United States to confront attacks on Christians in Nigeria. He made this assertion during a Christmas Day message addressed to Christian Zionist supporters, where he declared that Israel was prepared to “open a new front” to protect Christians allegedly facing persecution in several nations, including Nigeria, Syria, Lebanon, and Turkey.

The remarks quickly sparked reactions within Nigeria, particularly among Muslim groups who viewed the statement as inappropriate and intrusive. One of the strongest responses came from the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), which criticized Netanyahu’s position and questioned his credibility on issues related to terrorism and human rights.

Reacting to the statement on Friday, MUSWEN described Netanyahu’s comments as ironic, arguing that it was contradictory for him to speak about combating terrorism in Nigeria while, according to their view, being involved in acts of violence against Palestinians.

Speaking on behalf of the organization, MUSWEN’s Executive Secretary, Professor Wole Abbas, expressed deep concern over the statement. He described Netanyahu’s intention to collaborate with former U.S. President Donald Trump in addressing terrorism in Nigeria as unfortunate and troubling. According to Abbas, the actions attributed to Netanyahu in Gaza far exceed what could be described as terrorism.

Professor Abbas further stated that Netanyahu has been declared wanted by the International Court of Justice and accused him of continuing acts of genocide in Gaza. He questioned how someone facing such serious allegations could present himself as a solution to security challenges in another sovereign nation like Nigeria.

“I find it difficult to understand what the world is witnessing today,” Abbas said. “A person accused of committing genocide now wants to intervene in Nigeria’s internal security matters. Such an individual should be arrested and prosecuted for crimes against humanity.”

The criticism was not limited to religious organizations. A former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, also dismissed Netanyahu’s offer of support. In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Ahmad emphasized that Nigeria does not require foreign military intervention to address its security challenges.

He warned that any form of external military action, including airstrikes or armed involvement by foreign nations, would be unnecessary and would amount to a direct violation of Nigeria’s sovereignty. Ahmad stressed that Nigeria remains capable of handling its internal security matters without external interference.

The reactions highlight growing concerns among Nigerian leaders over foreign involvement in the country’s affairs and reinforce calls for respect for Nigeria’s independence and territorial integrity.