• National security remains a top priority for the Tinubu govt
Ministers and a cross-section of Nigerians rose in defence of the country against the allegation of targeted killings of Christians made by the United States President Donald Trump.
Different ministers took to different fora to highlight ongoing efforts to tackle terrorism, which they stressed affects all faiths.
Ministers Mohammed Idris (Information and National Orientation) and Oladele Alake (Solid Minerals) spoke at a press conference; Yusuf Tuggar (Foreign Affairs) met with diplomats in Abuja.
Festus Keyamo (SAN) (Aviation and Aerospace Development) made his views known in an open letter to President Trump.
Eminent Nigerians such as human rights activist Femi Falana (SAN) and one-time federal lawmaker Ita Enang also rejected the religious bias claim.
The government blamed the claim on foreign lobbyists.
It said their projections of the insecurity in Nigeria were behind the wrong perceptions of the country.
Admitting that insecurity is a serious concern affecting many communities in the country, the government said Nigeria remains a good example of “religious plurality’’ and democratic endurance.’’
“The government has been able to see a correlation between some of the lobbyists operating, especially in the US, and the activities here,’’ Idris said.
“We have seen that some of the influencers of these criminal activities have a direct relationship with lobbyists in the US, who have a direct relationship with some of these people who are shouting about this issue outside this country,’’ he added.
Idris highlighted counter-terrorism efforts by the Tinubu Administration and described the U.S. stance on Nigeria as a product of “misrepresentation and misinformation.”
“Nigeria faces long-standing security challenges that have impacted Christians and Muslims alike.
“Any narrative suggesting that the Nigerian state is failing to take action against religious attacks is based on faulty data,” he said.
The minister added that security agencies had, since May 2023, “neutralised more than 13,500 terrorists” and arrested more than 17,000 suspects.
“More than 9,850 abducted persons,” according to him, were reunited with their families within the same period after their rescue.
Tuggar told the diplomatic community that it was inaccurate to characterise Nigeria’s security challenges as manifestations of state-sanctioned religious intolerance.
Tuggar, represented at the event by his Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, described Nigeria as ‘’a global exemplar of religious plurality and democratic endurance.’’
He assured that the government was doing everything possible to contain terrorism.
He said: “National security remains a top priority for the Tinubu administration, which has adopted a comprehensive approach combining military strength, intelligence, diplomacy, and community engagement.
“Sustained operations such as Operation Hadin Kai and Operation Lake Sanity have degraded Boko Haram and ISWAP, reclaimed vast territories and facilitated the return of millions of displaced persons.
“Advanced surveillance technologies are being deployed to combat banditry and kidnapping, while community-based peace building and the National Early Warning and Response System (NEWS) enhance conflict prevention.
“Civil-military cooperation has strengthened trust, improved intelligence gathering, and reduced the recruitment of extremists.
“Nigeria remains a global exemplar of religious plurality and democratic endurance. The 1999 Constitution guarantees complete freedom of thought, conscience, and religion and prohibits the adoption of any state religion.
“The Nigerian state is secular in both structure and function; policies and institutions operate without religious bias, ensuring that Christians and Muslims hold leadership positions across all levels.
“Recent external claims suggesting systemic religious persecution in Nigeria are unfounded. The recent designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) based on speculations of religious persecution is fundamentally misinformed.
“It misrepresents Nigeria’s secular constitutional order and its record in protecting religious freedom. Nigeria’s demographic balance, approximately equal Christian and Muslim populations, its interwoven communities, and its functioning multi-religious democracy stand as clear evidence of our coexistence.
“Nigeria’s judiciary has consistently demonstrated its independence, protecting freedom of expression and religion.
“The state continues to wage a comprehensive counter-terrorism campaign against groups that target Nigerians of all faiths.
“It is therefore inaccurate to characterise Nigeria’s complex security challenges as manifestations of state-sanctioned religious intolerance.
“Nigeria’s national legal framework contains no offence of blasphemy. The existing public-order laws are religion-neutral and protect all communities equally from incitement to violence.
“Sharia laws, limited to some northern states, apply only to Muslims and remain under the oversight of the secular judiciary. Christian and Muslim institutions operate freely, promoting peaceful coexistence.
“Interfaith harmony is sustained through institutions such as the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NREC), the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA.
“Nigeria has consistently demonstrated its openness to dialogue and cooperation, and constructive engagement, which should remain the standard in the engagement between and among sovereign states in the international system.’’
He added that while Nigeria notes with grave concern the unfounded and disparaging rhetoric over the security situation in the country, “it is our firm conviction that the international community will continue on the path of mutual respect and cooperation that fosters peace, prosperity, and harmony.’’
‘No religious colouration in attacks’
Alake said data show insecurity in Nigeria has dropped to its lowest level in a decade.
He cited major reforms in the security architecture and ongoing prosecution of suspects behind the Owo Church and Benue massacres.
Alake stressed that terrorism in Nigeria is driven mainly by economic and political motives, not religion, warning against framing attacks as faith-based.
He reminded the media of its “responsibility to society,” urging balanced reporting that supports peace and stability.
“If there is no society, there is no press,” he cautioned.
Alake said: “We all know that this insecurity did not start yesterday. But from the actions taken so far, if one is unbiased, one would know that from the plethora of actions taken in the last three years, if we had taken those actions in the last ten years, we would probably not be where we are today.
“These range from the changes in the security architecture, the top brass of various security agencies changed in 2023, and again, a few days or so ago, to reinvigorate the security system.
“These are not political texts; these are policy actions emanating from very exhaustive planning and strategising, and they are yielding results.
“As the minister said, a global organisation recently published the fact that globally, in the last decade in Nigeria, the last two years have recorded the lowest incidences of insecurity.
“Locally, to us, even one incident is an anathema. But when you look at the various figures in the last ten or more years, and you do a comparative analysis with the last two years, you will see the tremendous efforts that this government has put in place and the actions so far taken to stem the tide of this insecurity.
“Except one is deceiving himself, nearly everybody in this country knows that there is no deliberate targeting of any religion for persecution. There are facts.
“Sometimes, when these terrorists go to attack, they don’t go to attack because of the religion of those inhabitants.
“They go to attack for different reasons, largely economic. Some may be political, but largely economic.
“So, to use the faith of the inhabitants as a motive for the attack is totally off the mark. It does not reflect the reality of that, and we all know it.”
Keyamo writes Trump
Keyamo dismissed claims of mass killings of Christians in Nigeria, describing them as false and misleading.
Keyamo stated that as a Christian and long-time human rights lawyer, it would be impossible for him to serve in a government that persecutes Christians or targets any group based on religion.
“I was born and raised as a Christian in Nigeria,” Keyamo said.
“Because of my strong Christian background and ethical pedigree, it would have been most unconscionable for me to associate with – let alone continue to serve – a government if truly there is any scintilla of truth in the assertion that Christians are specifically targeted in Nigeria for persecution, killings or harassment on account of their faith. It is simply not true.”
The minister recalled that he had practised law for over three decades, much of it devoted to defending human rights, and was honoured with the Global Human Rights Award by the U.S. Global Leadership Council in 2017 for his advocacy work.
Keyamo said Nigeria’s security challenges, including attacks by Boko Haram, herdsmen, and bandits, were inherited problems that had affected both Christians and Muslims, not one group in isolation.
He stressed that the Tinubu Administration is tackling insecurity without religious bias.
“Most of the security chiefs appointed by the President are Christians, so it would be unthinkable to imagine them being complicit in the killing of fellow Christians,” he said.
He also described President Tinubu as a “moderate Muslim” whose wife is a pastor and whose children are practising Christians.
“He will be the last person to either adopt the killing of Christians as a state policy or condone such acts,” he added.
Keyamo reaffirmed that Nigeria remains a secular state with constitutional guarantees for freedom of religion and equal protection for all citizens, regardless of faith.
Appealing directly to President Trump, he urged him and the U.S. government to seek balanced information about Nigeria and work with the Tinubu Administration to combat terrorism.
“President Trump, the Nigerian people ask for deep and sincere understanding from your government at this point.
“We ask for support, cooperation and collaboration to confront this decades-old menace of terrorism,” he said.
Falana: no evidence of Christian genocide
Falana said there was no evidence of Christian killings in Nigeria.
“Mr Trump has lied to the whole world by alleging Christian killings in Nigeria without any evidence to back it up,” he said during a live TV programme.
The senior lawyer argued that the allegation by Trump should be a wake-up call for the Federal Government to address the issue of killings in several parts of the country by gunmen.
He said the government has the Constitutional mandate to secure lives and properties.
“Those who are killing are either killing to expropriate land or killing to feed their animals.
“Instead of losing sleep over Mr Trump’s statement, the government has a duty to look inward about where errors have been made,” Falana said.
UN: why violent extremism persists in West Africa, Sahel
The United Nations (UN) Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Mohammed Chambas, attributed the persistence of violent extremism in the region to the absence of dialogue and social interaction among communities.
Speaking at the maiden West Africa Islamic Conference on Security and Governance in Abuja, with the theme: “The Role of Islamic Organisations in Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism in West Africa and the Sahel,” Chambas said the radicalisation of youths is fuelled by isolation and intolerance.
He defined radicalisation as the process of brainwashing individuals to become intolerant of other experiences and views.
“The unwillingness to appreciate the existence of others among communities across the world has bred gross intolerance, extremism, violent agitations, conflicts, and oppression,” he said.
Chambas, who also serves as the African Union (AU) High Representative for Silencing the Guns under Agenda 2063, noted that the Sahel accounted for 19 per cent of all terrorist attacks globally and 51 per cent of terrorism-related deaths in 2024.
“Our West Africa sub-region has been under fire due to a lack of effective interaction and dialogue among diverse ethnic and religious communities,” he added.
He called for deliberate peace education and awareness initiatives that promote positive relationships and sustainable development, stressing that religious leaders and traditional rulers are “uniquely positioned to guide communities towards peace and counter extremist ideologies.”
Similarly, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace, and Security, Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, urged Islamic organisations to focus on educating the youth against extremist ideologies.
Enang: speak with one voice
Former Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, urged the Federal Government to present a unified stance in response to the U.S. designation of Nigeria under its religious freedom watchlist.
He advised government officials to avoid public comments that could misrepresent Nigeria’s official position, suggesting that the Presidency, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and National Assembly leadership should coordinate a harmonised diplomatic response.
“This is a diplomatic issue that must be handled with utmost caution. Not every government official should make statements capable of inflaming the situation or misrepresenting the country,” Enang said.
