ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has urged Nigeria to collaborate with other countries to mount diplomatic pressure on the United States President Donald Trump, over the escalating war involving Iran and Israel.
Falana made the call during an interview on the Politics Today programme on Channels Television on Thursday, stressing that Nigeria must work with the international community to ensure respect for international law.
According to him, the Nigerian government should mobilise other nations to pressure the United States and encourage major global powers such as Russia and China to intervene diplomatically in the crisis.
He accused Trump of showing disregard for global legal frameworks and resolutions adopted by the United Nations.
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“President Trump has no regard and shows contempt for international law. Hence, he has pulled the United States out of about 66 resolutions of the United Nations. To him, the resolutions of the United Nations mean nothing,” Falana said.
The senior lawyer maintained that Nigeria should revive its tradition of multilateral diplomacy similar to the country’s role during the era of the Non-Aligned Movement.
“Our duty as a country, as we used to do in the past, is to collaborate with other countries. When you talk of the days of non-alignment, we must now move very speedily to collaborate with other countries to mount pressure on Mr Trump,” he added.
Falana also emphasised the need to persuade Russia and China to intervene diplomatically, noting that both countries wield significant influence over Iran.
“We need to persuade China and Russia to intervene because those are the two countries that Iran will listen to,” he said.
Beyond the international dimension of the crisis, Falana urged Nigeria to strengthen its internal security architecture and reduce reliance on foreign powers.
“Nigeria must wake up. We must learn from Iran that unless you reorganise your own country, unless you equip your armed forces and your police force, there is no way an imperialist country like America will guarantee law and order in your country,” he stated.
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He also called on the Federal Government to overhaul Nigeria’s security institutions, noting that Nigerian troops had historically performed commendably in international peacekeeping missions under the United Nations and the ECOWAS Monitoring Group.
Falana further criticised Nigeria’s refining sector, questioning why the country’s state-owned refineries remained non-functional despite billions of dollars spent on their rehabilitation.
“If we say we have four refineries, nobody is talking about them any longer. The NNPC now solely relies on the Dangote Refinery. Is that how to run a country? After carrying money down the drain, about $2.9 billion was spent on the maintenance of our four refineries,” he said.
Meanwhile, the ongoing war involving the United States, Israel and Iran began on February 28, 2026, following joint efforts by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran.
The strikes reportedly targeted Iranian leadership and infrastructure and were said to have killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, who has since been succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei.
The conflict has entered its second week, with continued airstrikes on Iran and missile retaliation targeting U.S. bases and allied facilities across the region.
The war has caused severe humanitarian consequences, with more than 1,300 civilians reportedly killed in Iran and about 3.2 million people displaced. In Lebanon, over 600 people have died during Israeli strikes against the militant group Hezbollah.
At least seven U.S. soldiers have also been reported killed, while Iran has launched missiles at U.S. and allied targets across the Middle East.
The war has also disrupted the global energy market after Iran reportedly blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a major shipping route for global oil supplies.
The disruption has pushed global oil prices above $100 per barrel, prompting the International Energy Agency to announce plans to release about 400 million barrels of crude oil to stabilise global markets.
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Diplomatic positions remain sharply divided. Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, said the war would only end if Iran’s rights were recognised, reparations were paid, and guarantees against future attacks were secured.
However, Trump has demanded Iran’s “unconditional surrender,” while Israeli leaders insist military operations will continue for as long as necessary.
The crisis is already affecting Nigeria, with petrol prices rising to between N1,000 and N1,300 per litre before dropping slightly to around N1,075 – N1,165 per litre, raising concerns about transport and food costs.
Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission said Nigerians in Iran were being evacuated through the Armenian border, adding that no casualties had been recorded among them so far.
However, several Nigerians remain stranded in Middle Eastern transit hubs due to widespread flight cancellations and airspace closures caused by the conflict.