The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has dismissed allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria, stating that the country’s main security challenge remains terrorism.
Speaking to journalists on Monday in Abuja, Oluyede reacted to a statement by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed that Islamic terrorists were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
“There are no Christians being persecuted in Nigeria,” Oluyede said. “What we are facing is insecurity, particularly terrorism — a challenge that has affected Nigeria for quite some time.”
He explained that the Armed Forces have been working tirelessly to combat terrorism and improve national security, noting that recent reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu are already strengthening security operations.
“Just last week, the President recalibrated the security architecture by bringing in officers of proven integrity and expertise in asymmetric warfare to enhance our operations,” the defence chief said.
Oluyede assured Nigerians that the military would intensify its efforts to eliminate terrorists and criminal groups across the country.
“We’re going to boost our operations and make sure we checkmate these acts of terrorism,” he added.
He also pointed out that terrorism is a global issue, not unique to Nigeria, and called for international cooperation to address it.
“There are many countries facing similar challenges. We welcome partnerships with any nation willing to support us in tackling terrorism,” he said.
Oluyede reaffirmed the military’s commitment to restoring peace and stability nationwide, urging Nigerians and international partners to continue supporting the country’s fight against terrorism.
His remarks followed a meeting between the National Security Adviser and the service chiefs, held after Trump’s controversial post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday.
In the post, Trump alleged that Christians were being killed in Nigeria and threatened that the U.S. might “go in guns blazing” if the killings continued.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, guns-a-blazing,” Trump wrote.
The comment sparked outrage and prompted President Tinubu to issue a formal response reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to democracy, peace, and religious freedom.
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In a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Tinubu emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that his administration has maintained active engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders to promote unity and security.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said. “Since 2023, our administration has maintained open engagement with leaders of all faiths to address security challenges that affect citizens across all regions.”
He also rejected any foreign narratives portraying Nigeria as religiously intolerant, describing them as inaccurate and unrepresentative of the nation’s diversity.
“The notion that Nigeria is religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” Tinubu stated. “Religious tolerance has always been a core part of our identity and will remain so.”
The President reaffirmed Nigeria’s readiness to continue working with the United States and other global partners to strengthen mutual understanding and protect citizens of all faiths.
