Why does US need Nigeria to drop Russian military equipment for American weapons to defend Christians? Karounwi Adini reacts

By KEMI KASUMU

“Don’t buy weapon from Russia again, buy only American weapons, or else we will accuse you of Christian persecution,” Karounwi Adini quoted US to have said, adding, “Oshi Rata, Ma ra Iyo.”

Political commentator Karounwi Adini has criticised a call by members of the United States Congress urging Nigeria to divest from Russian military hardware and instead procure American defence systems.

ALSO READ: Finally, US asks Nigeria to dump Russian military equipment for American weapons

The U.S. lawmakers reportedly linked their recommendation to broader efforts aimed at strengthening bilateral security cooperation and addressing violence against Christian communities and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

Reacting to the development, Adini questioned the rationale behind the demand, arguing that Russia has historically portrayed itself as a defender of traditional Christian values. He noted that the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian government have often aligned on religious and cultural issues, including the concept of “Holy Russia,” and that Moscow has previously framed some of its foreign interventions as efforts to protect Christian populations, particularly in the Middle East.

Adini contrasted this with the constitutional framework of the United States, which mandates a separation of church and state under the First Amendment. He argued that, in his view, the U.S. could not claim superior “Christian credentials” while simultaneously urging Nigeria to disengage from Russia on the grounds of protecting Christians.

He further questioned why Nigeria should be pressured to abandon Russian defence partnerships if the stated objective is the protection of Christian communities. “If the goal is to protect Christians, what is the issue if Russia provides assistance?” he asked.

Adini also referenced past tensions in U.S.–Nigeria defence relations, recalling that during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Washington declined certain arms sales to Nigeria, citing human rights concerns under the Leahy Law amid operations against Boko Haram insurgents between 2014 and 2015.

The commentator warned that external pressure over Nigeria’s military procurement choices could entangle the country in broader geopolitical rivalries between East and West, potentially undermining national sovereignty and complicating internal security efforts.

He criticised the current administration led by President Bola Tinubu, as well as National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, accusing them of failing to assert Nigeria’s sovereignty in defence and foreign policy matters.

Adini concluded that decisions regarding military procurement should prioritise Nigeria’s national interest and security needs, warning against what he described as politically motivated external demands.

In his post picked by The DEFENDER on Thursday February 26 2026, Adini said, “The United States Congress has called on Nigeria to divest from Russian military equipment and instead procure American defence systems, linking the recommendation to broader efforts to deepen security cooperation and combat violence against Christian communities and other vulnerable groups.

“Now, one must ask the following?

“Russia has historically cast itself and being known as a defender of Traditional Christian values.

“The Russian government and Russian Orthodox Church has cast itself as the protector of Christians in Middle-East and North-Africa. It was one of the reasons why it claimed it had to intervene in Syria.

“Way back during Ottoman times, the Russians used to intervene as a protector of Christians under Ottoman rule.

“There is also a Church-State alignment between the Russian Orthodox Church and Russian Government regarding concepts like “Holy Russia”.

“We then must ask, the United States constitutionally makes a total separation of Church and State. It prohibits the establishment of a State religion in its First Amendment.

“In terms of Christian credentials, it cannot even claim to be more Christian than Russia.

“What then is the rationale behind asking for protection for “Nigerian Christians” which it claims are persecuted, and demanding that a “Christian-majority” country like Russia should be divested from Nigeria’s Military spending.

“What sort of logic is that?

“Is the goal not protection of “Christians” anyways as it espouses?

“What is the problem if Russia provides help?

“Mind you, this is the same America that proudly rejected our request to buy military hardware during GEJ era, citing Leahy laws for human rights abuses of Boko Haram suspects or captives when we needed to clear them out 2014-2015 and proudly stood by It.

“These are the kinds of obnoxious requests that happen when political leaders don’t do their jobs, of guaranteeing safety of all Nigerians and play politics with every single sector. We will get tossed in , into the geo-politics of East-West, and our people may suffer even more from it.

“The total acquiescence of sovereignty by Bola Tinubu, Nuhu Ribadu and crew so annoys me, and is one more reason, why I maintain, they don’t deserve a re-election next year.”

“Don’t buy weapon from Russia again, buy only American weapons, or else we will accuse you of Christian persecution,” Karounwi Adini quoted US to have said, adding, “Oshi Rata, Ma ra Iyo.”