Why President Tinubu Must Take Ted Cruz, Rep. Riley Moore, and President Donald Trump Serious -By Professor John Egbeazien Oshodi

The Warning Nigeria Did Not Expect

When outspoken American leaders like Senator Ted Cruz, Representative Riley Moore, and President Donald Trump raise their voices about Nigeria’s religious and political violence, it is no longer background noise—it is a moral alarm. These are conservative figures whose influence reaches deep into America’s political and faith communities. Their concerns about Christian persecution, government silence, and institutional collapse have turned what once seemed a distant issue into a visible moral question in Washington. For President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, this is not the time for dismissive diplomacy or emotional denial. It is a time to face the truth: the world, through Cruz, Moore, and Trump, now holds a mirror to Nigeria’s justice failures.

Fear, Not Diplomacy, Drives Abuja’s Reaction

Nigeria’s leadership is not negotiating from confidence—it is reacting out of fear. The United States’ “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) designation exposes what many Nigerians have long known: that the rule of law has been replaced by selective power. Behind every official statement of sovereignty lies quiet panic—over possible visa bans, asset freezes, and international disgrace. The fear is not of invasion but of consequence. Tinubu’s government understands that the CPC listing associates Nigeria with nations where impunity, religious bias, and judicial paralysis have become normal.

America’s Conservatives Have Seen the Truth

When Ted Cruz, Riley Moore, and President Donald Trump describe Nigeria’s bloodshed as a moral crisis, they are not speaking for political or economic gain; they are responding to evidence. Their comments signal that America’s conservative base, which values religious liberty and human rights, now sees Nigeria through the same lens once reserved for Sudan or Afghanistan. Abuja should not take this lightly. These figures influence congressional debates, church networks, and media narratives. Their words can shape sanctions and aid policy. When such leaders echo the pain of Nigerian citizens, it is not interference—it is recognition.

The Contradiction of Civil Authority

Tinubu’s officials claim the killings are “domestic issues,” yet they tremble at global scrutiny. This contradiction exposes the emptiness of political control. If Nigeria truly governs itself, why are its institutions silent after each massacre? Why are suspects uncharged while survivors flee? True sovereignty does not hide from accountability—it demands it. A government proud of independence but afraid of justice is performing, not governing.

The Smokescreen of Blame

For over a decade, politicians have repeated the same defense—that “foreign Fulani” or “outside elements” cause the violence. But the victims are Nigerian, the land is Nigerian, and the negligence is Nigerian. Whether attackers come from Niger, Mali, or Katsina changes nothing. Each time officials shift blame, they prove that the real failure lies within. The CPC designation is simply the world saying, “We see through the excuses.”

The Military Cannot Replace Justice

The army is everywhere—yet justice is nowhere. Soldiers can confront attackers but cannot prosecute them. Every deployment without a legal follow-through deepens civilian decay. When the judiciary retreats and prosecutors hesitate, the gun replaces the gavel. America’s concern is that Nigeria uses security forces to mask judicial paralysis. Until fair trials and convictions return, the world will keep doubting our seriousness.

The Constitutional Foundation Nigeria Has Forgotten

Nigeria’s Constitution is secular and supreme. It recognizes no religion above another. All offenders must be tried in Nigeria’s civil courts, not in Sharia jurisdictions that repeatedly look away when victims are Christians or non-Muslims. For too long, certain judges and elites in the North—particularly among Fulani power blocs—have ignored equal justice. As many Nigerians say, “They all have one thing in common — Christians are not Muslims.” This prejudice has poisoned national justice. The Constitution must once again reign. No religious system stands above it. Nigeria is either one republic under law or a divided state under fear.

The Therapeutic Command: Act Now, Not Later

President Tinubu must act, not argue. He should immediately summon an emergency Judicial Accountability Command — not a scheduled meeting but a sudden national intervention. In this urgent call to order, he must bring together the governors of the twelve Sharia and conflict states, their police commissioners, the Hisbah chiefs, the state Attorneys General, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Chief Judges of the affected states, and the prison commandants responsible for custody and sentence enforcement.

The purpose must be concrete and immediate:

• Reopen the Deborah Samuel murder case and upgrade it to murder without delay.

• Publish full prosecution and conviction statistics for all militia, communal, and religious killings nationwide.

• Dismiss and publicly censure officials who have protected offenders or obstructed justice.

• Establish fast-track civilian courts to handle atrocity cases under public scrutiny and with strict judicial timelines.

• Audit Nigeria’s correctional system to ensure convicted offenders are serving sentences and not secretly released through political influence.

This is not the season for committees or ceremonial conferences. Nigeria needs a judicial awakening, not another performance of power.

America’s Message Is Not Invasion — It Is Integrity

The United States is not threatening war; it is standing on principle. The CPC designation shows Washington’s loss of confidence in Nigeria’s justice system. When Cruz, Moore, and President Trump speak of genocide and persecution, their words carry political gravity. They reflect a shift toward moral accountability: if Nigeria claims to be democratic, it must prove it in courtrooms, not conferences.

The President’s Moral and Psychological Test

This is Tinubu’s psychological test. Can he face truth without pride? Taking America serious does not mean submission—it means maturity. It means restoring Nigeria’s moral authority before the world. History will not remember how loud his defense was; it will remember whether justice ever returned.

The Verdict of History

This is not about America versus Nigeria—it is about conscience versus corruption. The CPC label is not an insult but a diagnosis. If President Tinubu acts with courage, Nigeria can heal and regain respect. If he hides behind rhetoric, the nation’s credibility will collapse.

Mr. President, take Ted Cruz, Rep. Riley Moore, and President Donald Trump serious — not because they are Americans, but because they now speak the truth Nigeria refuses to face.

Take them serious — but take justice even more. I dey warn you ooo, no try them ooo. Oh — tell China, Russia, Palestine to stay away from the matter, or American vex go too much.

About the Author

Prof. John Egbeazien Oshodi is an American psychologist and educator specializing in forensic, legal, clinical, cross-cultural psychology, public ethical policy, police, and prison science.

Born in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, and the son of a 37-year veteran of the Nigeria Police Force, he has devoted his career to linking psychology with justice, education, and governance. In 2011, he pioneered the introduction of advanced forensic psychology in Nigeria through the National Universities Commission and Nasarawa State University, where he served as Associate Professor of Psychology.

He currently serves as contributing faculty in the Doctorate in Clinical and School Psychology at Nova Southeastern University; teaches in the Doctorate Clinical Psychology, BS Psychology, and BS Tempo Criminal Justice programs at Walden University; and is a virtual professor of Management and Leadership Studies at Weldios University and ISCOM University. He is President and Chief Psychologist at the Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological and Forensic Services, United States.

Prof. Oshodi is a Black Republican in the United States but belongs to no party in Nigeria—he stands only for justice. This writer knows no one on this issue but writes solely for the sake of justice, good governance, democracy, and African development. He is the founder of Psychoafricalysis (Psychoafricalytic Psychology)—a culturally grounded framework centering African sociocultural realities, historical consciousness, and future-oriented identity. A prolific scholar, he has authored more than 500 articles, several books, and numerous peer-reviewed works on Africentric psychology, higher education reform, forensic and correctional psychology, African democracy, and decolonized therapeutic models.