Former diplomat Joe Keshi has said that the United States’ genocide allegations against Nigeria will likely continue as long as insecurity and mass killings remain unresolved.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Thursday, Keshi noted that the absence of a Nigerian ambassador in Washington has weakened the country’s diplomatic engagement and made it harder to manage such allegations.
“The truth of the matter is that a lot of Nigerians and Christians are being killed, and the government has not shown the capacity to adequately deal with the matter,” he said.
Citing the Benue incident as an example, he recalled that President Bola Tinubu had asked the Inspector-General of Police why no arrests were made following the attacks. “A few days later, the IGP said 26 people had been arrested. As of today, nobody has heard what happened to those 26 people,” Keshi stated.
He stressed that until the Nigerian government takes decisive action to end the killings and insecurity, such allegations from the U.S. and other international observers will persist.
“Nigeria needs to engage more and build friendships in Washington,” he added.