There was mild drama on the floor of the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, November 4, when the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and his deputy, Senator Jibrin Barau, openly disagreed over the United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention in Nigeria following allegations of a Christian genocide in parts of the country.
Naija News understands that Akpabio had taken the floor at the end of plenary to debunk a viral report alleging that he attacked Trump in response to the U.S. President’s recent comments.
However, his remarks triggered an unexpected exchange with his deputy, who insisted he was “not afraid of Trump.”
The Senate President referenced a story published by a social media platform, which claimed he dismissed Trump’s concerns about religious killings in Nigeria.
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The post alleged that Akpabio had said: “The killing is taking place in Nigeria, not in the USA. Trump should focus on the U.S. Nigerians are not complaining about the killings; we are fully satisfied with the condition of Nigeria.”
But Akpabio dismissed the report as “malicious and completely fabricated.”
“Who am I to answer Trump?” Akpabio said. “Somebody sat in the comfort of his room and produced a fake report with old pictures from 2023, when the Senate visited Port Harcourt, and claimed I responded to President Trump. That never happened.”
He said he had petitioned the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the source of the misinformation.
“It is the Presidency that will answer President Trump. Not me. The Senate President was never approached, and any such comment is false. These fake posts are meant to cause friction and discredit the Nigerian Senate. Social media should not break Nigeria,” Akpabio warned.
I’m Not Scared of Trump – Barau Declares
Moments after Akpabio’s clarification, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau interjected, declaring that he was unafraid to speak his mind about the American President.
“I’m not scared of Trump. I will say my mind. I’m a Nigerian, and Nigeria is a sovereign nation. I’m a parliamentarian,” Barau said.
He added, “I’m the Deputy Senate President; I can speak. Don’t be scared of Trump. You can say your mind about Trump. We are a sovereign nation.”
The comment drew murmurs across the chamber, prompting Akpabio to immediately instruct the Clerk of the Senate, Emmanuel Odo, to delete Barau’s statement from the day’s proceedings, arguing that it did not represent the Senate’s official position.
Senate Distances Itself from Viral Report
Akpabio reiterated that the Senate had not taken any official stance on Trump’s recent remarks and that a collective response would only come after consultations with the executive arm of government.
“It is the Presidency that speaks for Nigeria on matters of foreign relations. When the direction of the executive is known, the Senate will respond appropriately,” he stated.
Naija News reports that Trump had last week Friday on his Truth Social platform threatened to “go into Nigeria guns-a-blazing” if the alleged killing of Christians continued.
The U.S. President also claimed he had directed the Department of War to prepare for possible military action.
The comments have triggered diplomatic reactions across Nigeria, with officials urging restraint and emphasising dialogue over confrontation.
Meanwhile, the Senate’s heated exchange underscores growing sensitivity within Nigeria’s political circles over Trump’s comments, which many see as an affront to the nation’s sovereignty.
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