Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has warned the Federal Government that China and Russia won’t come to Nigeria’s aid if United States President Donald Trump follows through with the threat of a military intervention in Nigeria over the claim of Christian persecution.
He issued the warning during his sermon at the November edition of the monthly Holy Ghost Night at the Redemption Camp on Friday, November 7, 2025.
The cleric also advised President Bola Tinubu on how to address the U.S. threat, urging him to explore diplomatic avenues with Trump to seek a 100-day window to expedite counterinsurgency efforts in Nigeria.
If granted, Adeboye proposed that Tinubu should then instruct the Service Chiefs and other security agencies to resolve the issue within 90 days or face resignation.
“We must take note of the fact that if the US should attack us, China is not coming to defend us, Russia won’t defend us,” he said.
ALSO READ: China Backs Nigeria, Warns Against Military Action Amid Trump’s Threat
“All the so-called world leaders will talk and condemn what America has done, but they won’t help us.”
The Christian leader stressed that the President should issue a firm directive to security chiefs to eliminate not only terrorists but also their sponsors, regardless of how highly placed they are.
Adeboye Recalls an Encounter With Buhari on Insecurity
The RCCG GO referenced a similar situation with the late President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, where he advised decisive action against insecurity.
He recalled how Buhari gave the security chiefs a three-month ultimatum to get rid of the terrorists or lose their jobs, but failed to make good on the threat as insecurity persisted.
“Some of you will remember who called the service chiefs together and said, ‘I give you three months, get rid of all these Boko Haram people or resign’. It’s not allowed to tell you who gave him that advice,” he stated.
During a private visit afterwards, Adeboye said he asked Buhari why the service chiefs were still allowed to keep their job even after failing to carry out his directive to the letter.
“But three months went by, and the work was not done. So I went to see him. It wasn’t unusual. This time, somehow, the press got to know that I visited him. Of course, they were not there when we talked.
“Unfortunately, like I said, he’s not alive now. I would have asked you to go and ask him, ‘Sir, why didn’t you follow through? Because when three months passed and the work wasn’t done, why didn’t you proceed with action? Are we going to call it a threat?’
ALSO READ: U.S. Revokes Over 80,000 Visas Under Trump’s Immigration Crackdown
Adeboye, who refused to disclose Buhari’s response to him, said his major takeaway from the encounter is that the government should not only go after the terrorist but also their sponsors.
“I won’t tell you the details, but one thing came out of that meeting, which will lead me to my next advice to our government, in case there’s any of you who can get across to them. When giving orders to the Service Chiefs this time around, we should make it clear to them that they are not only to eliminate the terrorists but also their sponsors, no matter how influential they may be,“ he added.
Nigerian Insecurity Renews US, China Face-off
Adeboye’s comments followed the recent storm created by Trump’s threat to order a military intervention in Nigeria following the claim of targeted killings of people belonging to the Christian faith.
The American President had earlier designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) after expressing grave concern over alleged government complicity in the prevailing insecurity in the country.
He urged the Nigerian government to act swiftly to end the “killing of Christians” in the country.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing’, to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action.
“If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
China Condemns US Threat Against Nigeria
In response, Mao Ning, spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry, affirmed her country’s strategic partnership with Nigeria, cautioning against the threat of military action under the pretext of concerns over religious and human rights.
Ning, who spoke at a press conference in Beijing on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, said China supports Nigeria as it “leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions.”
“As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, and threatening other countries with sanctions and force,” she added.
ALSO READ: US vs Nigeria: Trump’s comments put 12 Northern states in focus – See why
However, US Congressman Riley Moore fired back at China, insisting that the Asian nation has no right to dictate or criticise America’s foreign policy.
In a post on X, Moore dismissed Beijing’s position, calling China a “Communist autocracy” that has no moral authority to lecture the United States.
