President Bola Tinubu has dismissed United States President Donald Trump’s claim of a ‘mass slaughter’ of Christians in Nigeria, insisting that portraying the country as religiously intolerant does not reflect reality.
Trump, on Friday, declared Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over killings of Christians. He made this in a statement on his Truth Social platform, describing the situation as a “mass slaughter.”
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote.
He said the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening,” directing Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole to investigate the matter.
‘Citizens’ Faiths Protected’
Responding on Saturday, President Tinubu, in a statement he personally signed, dismissed claims that Nigeria is hostile toward Christians, insisting the country remains committed to religious freedom and tolerance.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it recognise government efforts to safeguard freedom of religion and belief.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” he said.
Tinubu explained that since 2023, his administration has maintained open engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders while tackling security challenges affecting citizens across faiths and regions.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders and continues to address security challenges affecting citizens across faiths.
“Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so.
“Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths. Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen cooperation on protecting communities of all faiths,” the president said.
‘Religious Diversity’
The Federal Government also rejected the U.S. designation in a statement by the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa.
“The Federal Government has noted the recent statement by the United States on religious freedom in Nigeria,” Ebienfa stated on Saturday.
He stressed that Nigeria remains committed to tackling violent extremism driven by special interests across the Sahel region and emphasised that Nigeria, like America, celebrates its diversity.
“We mourn all victims of violent extremism and salute our armed forces as they fight these cowardly foes. The Federal Government will continue to defend all citizens, irrespective of race, creed, or religion.
“Nigeria is a God-fearing country that respects faith, tolerance, diversity, and inclusion,” the statement noted.
In September, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, first dismissed the widespread claims of a Christian genocide in the country, describing them as “false, baseless, and divisive.”
“Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a campaign against one religion is inaccurate and harmful,” he said, noting that extremists target citizens of all faiths.
“Muslims, Christians, and even non-religious Nigerians have all suffered alike,” Idris added.
According to him, security forces have killed over 13,500 terrorists and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages since May 2023.
Senate, CAN Intervene
On 14 October, the Senate formed a 12-Member ad-hoc committee to study global claims of Christian persecution.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the committee to produce a fact-based report to guide Nigeria’s diplomatic response.
“Our findings must be backed with verifiable facts and statistics,” he said.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), however, said Christian communities continue to suffer repeated attacks.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, urged the government to protect citizens and bring perpetrators to justice.
“Our concern remains that these cries for justice are too often met with delay or denial,” he said.
CAN added that it has documented religiously motivated attacks and appealed to international bodies for intervention.
“The pain of Christian families torn apart by violence must never be treated as mere statistics,” the group said.
Minister Idris reaffirmed that religious freedom remains guaranteed under Nigeria’s Constitution. He called on international observers to act responsibly.
“We urge all commentators to support Nigeria’s efforts in combating terrorism and criminality,” he added.
