Mahdi Shehu Remi Tinubu criticism erupts after reports linked the First Lady to comments on US military strikes in northern Nigeria

Political commentator and activist Mahdi Shehu has accused Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, of hostility towards northern Muslims following reports of remarks attributed to her on United States military strikes in northern Nigeria.

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Mr Shehu made the allegation on Tuesday in a series of posts on the social media platform X, reacting to reports that Mrs Tinubu described the Christmas Day airstrikes authorised by United States President Donald Trump as a blessing.

According to Mr Shehu, the reported remarks reinforced long-held perceptions among some northern Muslims about the First Lady’s attitude towards their communities.

He claimed that many Muslims in the region now regard Mrs Tinubu as an open adversary, alleging that her responses to crises affecting Muslim populations showed a lack of empathy and concern.

Mr Shehu further accused the First Lady of showing no remorse over harm suffered by Muslim communities, arguing that such attitudes deepen divisions in an already fragile national landscape.

He said Muslims would continue to practise their faith in Nigeria regardless of political leadership, foreign military intervention or external pressure, describing religious diversity as an unalterable part of the country’s social fabric.

In his remarks, Mr Shehu also criticised what he described as selective reactions to humanitarian disasters, suggesting that responses differed depending on the affected communities.

The comments followed reports that Mrs Tinubu made the remarks during an interview with Fox News while visiting the United States after attending the National Prayer Breakfast alongside President Trump.

The Presidency has not issued an official response to Mr Shehu’s claims or to the reported comments attributed to the First Lady.

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The controversy has sparked renewed debate over foreign military involvement, religious sensitivities and political rhetoric, underscoring the combustible nature of security and identity issues in Nigeria’s public discourse.