A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has urged the United States government and President Donald Trump to suspend intelligence sharing and security cooperation with Nigeria.
Frank made the call in a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja, citing recent comments attributed to Islamic cleric Ahmad Gumi regarding banditry and terrorism in the country.
According to Frank, remarks credited to Gumi suggesting that Nigerian authorities may know the identities and locations of bandits raise serious questions about the handling of insecurity in Nigeria.
“If it is true that the government knows the names of these bandits, knows where they are located and even knows their camps, then Nigerians deserve to know why decisive action has not been taken,” he said.
Frank argued that the continued rise in kidnappings and killings across the country suggests that insecurity has escalated despite claims that security agencies possess intelligence about those responsible.
According to him, the worsening security situation despite international support raises suspicions that some individuals may be benefiting from the crisis. He alleged that insecurity in the country has become a “profitable business” for certain actors within the system.
“Kidnappings have increased. Killings have escalated. Insecurity has worsened across the country. If a government truly knows the identities and locations of terrorists and bandits yet fails to act decisively, then that raises serious concerns,” he said.
Frank further alleged that insecurity could be exploited for political purposes ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
“They want the insecurity to persist because as long as insecurity continues in the country, it’s an opportunity for them to rig the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.
“They don’t care about Nigerians that are dying. They don’t care about Nigerians that are being kidnapped. They don’t care about the well-being of the people. They don’t care about the suffering of the people. They don’t care about good governance. All they care about is how they will rig themselves back to power using insecurity as cover,” he said.
The activist urged the United States to exercise caution in its dealings with the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly in the area of intelligence cooperation.
“I am calling on the United States government to be very careful in its dealings with the current Nigerian administration. The U.S. should suspend intelligence sharing and security cooperation with the Nigerian government and its security chiefs,” he said.
Frank also alleged that despite security assistance Nigeria has received from international partners, insecurity in the country has continued to worsen.
“There appears to be a pattern where the government continues to receive security assistance and aid from the United States and other international partners, yet insecurity keeps worsening,” he said.
He added that Nigerian soldiers were still losing their lives in the fight against insurgency and banditry despite the equipment and support provided by foreign partners.
“Today, Nigerian soldiers are dying in large numbers despite the equipment and support provided by the United States and other countries. With the level of support Nigeria has received, the war against insecurity should have made significant progress,” he said.
Frank also appealed directly to President Trump to take decisive steps against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria.
“We are appealing directly to President Donald Trump to take a strong and decisive stand. If the United States truly wants to help Nigeria defeat terrorism and make the country great again, it should be prepared to act firmly against the terrorists responsible for the violence,” he said.
He added that such actions should not depend solely on cooperation with Nigerian authorities.
“The United States should be ready to take bold steps in confronting terrorist networks threatening Nigeria, even if it means acting independently like it did on Christmas Eve against those responsible for the violence,” he said.
Frank, who currently serves as Ambassador of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to East Africa and the Middle East and Senior Advisor to the Global Friendship City Association (GFCA), USA, also called on the U.S. Congress to pay closer attention to developments in Nigeria.
He urged the United States to support credible democratic processes in the country, noting that free and fair elections would help strengthen governance and stability.
“If the United States truly wants to assist Nigeria, it should help ensure peace, security and credible democratic processes. That is how Nigeria can move forward and become stable and prosperous again,” he said.
Frank added that strong international support could help Nigeria overcome insecurity and rebuild confidence in governance.
“With the right actions and international support, Nigeria can defeat terrorism, restore stability and move toward a future where the country can truly become great again,” he said.
Timi Frank Urges Trump to Halt U.S. Security Cooperation with Nigeria
