Poor Working Masses are the Victims, and the Working people must organise to Replace Corrupt Capitalist regime with a Planned economic Alternative

By Lateef Adams

Mixed reactions among Nigerians following Trump’s comments. While some express fear that his motives may not be genuine, others view his stance as a deserved rebuke to the Tinubu regime’s failure to tackle the worsening insecurity in the country. What is beyond dispute, however, is that the alarming level of insecurity has led to the deaths of thousands, injuries, and mass displacement of citizens across Nigeria.

We in the Movement for a Socialist Alternative (MSA) strongly condemns Imperialist motive attacks from recent threats by U.S. President Donald Trump and condemn the corrupt Nigeria regimes handling of the insecurity issues in the country. to invade Nigeria under the guise of protecting Christians from terrorist attacks is to narrow down the crisis to religion lens but the actual victims of insecurity in Nigeria are the poor working people cut across all religions and ethnic backgrounds; and Trump’s sudden “concern” is largely seen as calculated move driven by imperialist and capitalist interests.

This crisis, which has persisted for decades, continues to worsen as armed groups expand their operations with impunity. The federal government’s insincere and indifferent attitude toward tackling this menace is a clear display of disregard for the lives of the poor and working masses. Ironically, it is only now that foreign figures such as U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and others have raised alarm that the Tinubu regime pretends to care, feigning concern it never showed the people.

The MSA has always condemned the corrupt ruling class for its failure to protect lives and ensure security. Since Tinubu assumed office in 2023, at least 10,217 Nigerians have been killed in armed attacks, according to Amnesty International. From Benue to Plateau, Zamfara, Borno, Imo, Kwara, and elsewhere, countless lives have been lost while the regime continues to look away. Tinubu’s government has done nothing fundamentally different from its predecessors, in fact it maintains the same anti-people posture of silence and neglect.

Despite the defense and security sector receiving the highest allocation in every budget cycle, there is nothing to show for it. Between 2020 and 2025, over N16.10 trillion has been budgeted for defense and security. Yet, insecurity remains rampant, and no part of the country can be described as safe. This massive looting of public resources has left the military under-equipped, while politicians enrich themselves under the guise of national security.

The Buhari government accused the Jonathan administration of diverting $2.5 billion through the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. This was money that was meant for arms procurement. Buhari government later withdrew $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account in 2018 to purchase 12 Super Tucano fighter jets, which were delivered in 2021. Despite these huge expenditures, insecurity has only worsened, which is a sign to conclude that there is huge corruption ongoing in the system.

From Boko Haram to ISWAP, Ansaru, Dogo Gide, Bello Turji, and Lakurawa, several insurgent and bandit groups have emerged and expanded their territories. Kidnapping for ransom has become an enterprise, while some local and state governments openly negotiate or hold peace meetings with these groups. Even the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, admitted that there are political forces behind the insecurity in Nigeria.

Trump’s sudden threat to attack Nigeria after labeling it a “country of particular concern” seems a desperate attempt to mask his imperialist ambition. His supposed concern for Christians is not genuine. If it were, he would have condemned the killing of about 30 Palestine Christians in Gaza (according to Aid to the Church in Need) during the genocide in Gaza. Trump’s selective outrage only exposes the hypocrisy of imperialism, a system that places profits and political influence above human lives.

The root cause of Nigeria’s insecurity is not religion, but the corrupt, neoliberal capitalist policies of successive regimes that prioritise the wealth of the elite over the welfare of the working people. Both Trump and Tinubu represent the neoliberal systems that thrive on exploitation and greed. In the U.S., black Christians and workers face systemic racism and police brutality, yet Trump has never called for their protection.

The real solution lies not in U.S. intervention, but in the unity of the oppressed working class, workers, students, and youth to organize and overthrow a capitalist system that values profit over people.

U.S. Military Intervention Will Not Solve the Crisis

Past U.S. interventions, such as the 1992 invasion of Somalia, began under the banner of “humanitarian assistance” but ended up deepening the crisis. Any similar move in Nigeria will only worsen insecurity, not end it. The ruling elites who fund and profit from violence and illegal mining will remain untouched, while the poor will pay the price.

The continued failure of successive governments down to this Tinubu regime to address the root causes of insecurity may encourage sections of the Nigerian ruling class and their foreign allies to invite another round of U.S. military intervention under the pretense of “support.” Whatever form it takes, such intervention will not change the fact that the problem lies in the profit-driven capitalist system that creates and sustains these crises.

Trump’s Transactional Politics and Imperialist Agenda

Donald Trump’s leadership style is openly transactional, guided by the logic of imperialist capitalism that seeks profit and control. Recently, his administration attempted to pressure Nigeria into accepting Venezuelan prisoners from U.S. detention centers. this deal Nigeria rejected, and in retaliation, Trump government-imposed visa restrictions, while some African governments accepted similar deals. It is not far-fetched to see this latest threat as another attempt to drag the Tinubu regime to the negotiating table.

But neither Trump nor Tinubu represents the interests of the working people. Both acts to protect the profits of their respective ruling classes while the majority face worsening poverty, unemployment, and insecurity.

Only a socialist alternative, built on the collective power of the working class and anchored on public ownership and democratic control of the key sectors of the economy, can put an end to the greed and corruption responsible for Nigeria’s crises from unemployment to terrorism.

The Way Forward

The MSA calls on workers, students, and youth to reject both imperialist interference and the failed capitalist policies of the Tinubu regime. The struggle against insecurity must be linked to the fight against poverty, unemployment, and corruption which are all products of capitalism.

We must unite under a mass socialist movement to rebuild society based on collective ownership, democratic planning, and the prioritization of human needs over private profits. Only through the organized strength of the working class can we end this cycle of exploitation, violence, and deceit.