Senator Ali Ndume, the Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate, has stated that US President Donald Trump is ignorant of the realities in Nigeria, stressing that many Americans have a limited understanding of the country’s complex challenges.
Ndume made the statement when appearing on Arise TV’s PrimeTime on Monday, where he responded to Trump’s recent remarks regarding Nigeria’s security situation.
According to him, the former US president’s remarks reflect widespread ignorance about the country among foreigners.
“I have been to America myself. The average American is innocent,” Ndume said. “You will find an American who lives in Ohio, grew up in Ohio, and has never been to Chicago. That’s where the problem is.”
The senator explained that this narrow perspective leads to incorrect assumptions about Nigeria. He stated that he had earlier introduced a motion in the Senate titled ‘Urgent Need to Correct the Misconception of Nigeria Being a CPC,’ which intended to confront inaccurate images abroad. “They said they have set up a committee but nothing was done, and it was treated with levity,” according to him.
Ndume also lambasted Western nations, notably the United States, for issuing strong warnings against Nigeria without hearing from all perspectives.
“One thing about them is that they issue strong warnings because they only listen to one side and ignore the other,” he said.
Using examples of violent incidents around the country, the congressman emphasized that Nigeria’s security difficulties touch everyone, regardless of religion or ethnicity.
“If you look at what happened to the Christian faithful in Benue recently, where about 200 people were killed and buried in a mass grave, anyone who sees that would know how gruesome it is. All lives matter,” he stated.
He also recalled that his own village had been severely attacked. “In my village, our Emir was killed by Boko Haram on the streets. In my town, about 75 elders were taken to a slaughterhouse; only one escaped.”
Ndume stressed that Nigeria’s challenges are real and demand knowledge and balanced reporting, not prejudiced judgments from overseas.
