By Rejoice Peterside, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has rejected former United States President Donald Trump’s description of Nigeria as a country hostile to religious freedom, reaffirming that the nation remains fully committed to protecting the rights of citizens of all faiths.
Trump had on Friday designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” claiming that Christians in the country were facing an “existential threat.” In a post on his Truth Social account, later shared by the White House on X, Trump alleged that “thousands of Christians are being killed” by “radical Islamists” and urged American lawmakers to investigate the situation.
“I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern,’” Trump said, warning that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening.”
In a swift reaction on Saturday, President Tinubu dismissed the claims as misleading and unfair, saying that Nigeria’s democratic values and constitutional guarantees uphold religious liberty for all.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu wrote on X.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.”
He stressed that Nigeria does not tolerate religious persecution and that the country’s diversity remains one of its greatest strengths.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians,” the President stated.
Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to dialogue and collaboration with international partners, including the United States, to promote peace and religious tolerance.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it,” he added.
“Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths.”
Trump’s remarks have sparked global debate, with critics accusing him of inflaming religious tensions in Nigeria. The country, Africa’s most populous nation, is nearly evenly divided between a predominantly Muslim north and a largely Christian south.
Security experts have noted that the violence in parts of Nigeria often stems from complex factors such as terrorism, banditry, and ethnic conflicts affecting citizens across religious lines.
The Nigerian government maintains that it continues to pursue lasting solutions to insecurity while ensuring that the fundamental rights of all citizens, regardless of faith, are protected.
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