A former United States ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom has urged President Bola Tinubu to halt the ongoing killings of Nigerians or risk a violent split of the country.
Sam Brownback issued the stark warning in a speech that has circulated widely online, describing the situation as having reached a “breaking point.”
“Stop the killings now or face a split of the country,” Brownback said.
He added: “That’s not going to be able to sustain itself and continue without leading to a violent split up of the country. And I say those words cautiously, and I don’t like saying those words, but I believe it to be the truth.”
Brownback stressed the need for immediate government action to protect citizens, particularly Christians and moderate Muslims under attack.
“If the Nigerian government now does not get on top of this situation of what’s taking place in Nigeria, and has been now for a number of years, if they don’t get on top of it and start protecting their people… this is going to lead to broader bloodshed throughout Nigeria and probably a splitting up of the country. And it’s that dramatic,” he said.
The remarks come amid a sharp rise in violence, with security data showing at least 624 Nigerians killed and 419 abducted in February 2026 alone.
