On November 4, 2025, a heated exchange occurred in the Nigerian Senate over how lawmakers should respond to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of military action against Nigeria.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio denied a viral report claiming he had publicly rebuffed Trump or said Nigerians “are not complaining” about their conditions. He described the story as fabricated, malicious, and intended to create diplomatic tension. Akpabio emphasized that it is the Presidency—not the Senate—that would respond to Trump. He also claimed that images circulating online were doctored.

During the session, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin took a firmer stance, saying lawmakers have the right to speak freely and that Nigeria is a sovereign nation. “I’m not scared of Trump. I will say my mind,” Jibrin asserted.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government reaffirmed its rejection of Trump’s military threat, calling on him to respect Nigeria’s sovereignty. An aide to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, alleged that U.S. senators had been misled by IPOB-affiliated sources claiming a Christian genocide in Nigeria, which he described as false and unsupported by credible evidence.