Leader of the political movement The Alternative, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has issued a strong warning over Nigeria’s deepening security and humanitarian crisis, revealing that the United States government is treating the country’s instability with unprecedented seriousness following a series of high-level assessments.

Showunmi, in an internal reflection note shared on social media on Thursday, disclosed that he held a strategic engagement with a senior U.S. congressional figure who plays a direct role in shaping Washington’s policy toward Nigeria. The outcome of the meeting, he said, left him “sober and deeply concerned.”

According to him, US officials have conducted extensive consultations across Washington and within Nigeria, engaging government leaders, civil society groups, humanitarian responders and security observers.

Their findings, he said, paint a troubling picture of escalating violence and widespread human suffering.

“The United States is treating Nigeria’s internal crisis with a level of seriousness that cannot be overstated. There is no sense of ambiguity or casual engagement on their side. Their posture is firm, focused, and deeply concerned,” Showunmi wrote.

Showunmi revealed that Washington’s assessment indicates that violence in several parts of Nigeria, particularly Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, the Middle Belt, and some moderate Muslim northern communities, has exceeded what would normally be categorized as domestic security concerns.

“Their assessment is straightforward: the situation in parts of Nigeria has escalated beyond normal domestic security concerns. The humanitarian suffering is now visible internationally,” he said.

He noted that foreign partners are alarmed by the patterns of aggression, displacement, sectarian tensions and the spread of ungoverned spaces, which they believe pose wider regional and international implications.

Showunmi stated that while the U.S. government is willing to support Nigeria, it expects sincerity and a clear demonstration that authorities are committed to addressing the crisis head-on.

“They are prepared to provide support, but the underlying message is unmistakable: Nigeria must demonstrate that it is confronting its crisis honestly, not defensively. They are not interested in political spin, denial, or internal blame-shifting”, he said.

He warned that the Nigerian presidency risks underestimating the gravity of the situation and that existing strategies are “insufficient and widening the credibility gap between official statements and lived realities.”

The political leader cautioned that the most dangerous threat is not what foreigners think of the situation, but the possibility that Nigeria may lose the ability to define its own national story.

“The danger is not American perception. It is the risk of Nigeria losing control of its own narrative”, he emphasized.

Showunmi blamed fragmented communication, refusal to take responsibility, and rising sectarian rhetoric for worsening the nation’s image on the global stage.

He called for an urgent “communication and orientation recalibration” to restore public trust and stabilize the country’s international standing.

“If we lose control of the narrative and the reality on the ground continues to deteriorate, external actors will define the Nigerian situation for us,” he said.

Despite the bleak assessments, Showunmi reaffirmed his belief in Nigeria’s resilience but stressed that hope must be matched with deliberate, coordinated action.

“I remain confident in God’s protection over Nigeria. But faith does not replace responsibility. We must act, and we must act with clarity and unity. This moment is more consequential than many realise,” he said. (Nigerian Tribune)

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