Trump’s Adviser Says Boko Haram, ISIS Have Killed More Muslims Than Christians in Nigeria
Senior Adviser to former US President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, has said that terrorist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria.
Boulos dismissed widespread claims of religious persecution in the country, describing them as inaccurate and misleading.
He made the remarks in a video shared by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, while reacting to comments from some American politicians who alleged that Christians were being deliberately targeted in Nigeria.
According to him, terrorism in Nigeria is not driven by religion, but rather by broader issues of insecurity that affect all Nigerians, regardless of faith or ethnicity.
“Any incident, any loss of life is absolutely unfortunate. Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe. People of all religions and all tribes are dying as a result of terrorist acts,” Boulos said.
“We even know that Boko Haram and ISIS are killing more Muslims than Christians. So people are suffering from all sorts of backgrounds. This is not specifically targeted at one group or the other.”
Boulos also addressed the frequent clashes between herders and farmers in parts of the Middle Belt, explaining that while many affected farmers are Christians, the conflict is not rooted in religion.
“There are incidents in the Middle Belt where most farmers happen to be Christian and some herdsmen are passing through. But it’s not something we can say is specifically targeted at one group,” he explained.
He went on to commend President Bola Tinubu’s administration for ramping up security efforts in volatile areas, noting that the measures were already producing positive results.
“The Nigerian government and President Tinubu’s administration have recently taken additional measures and put more resources in those areas. We’ve seen some improvements in recent weeks,” he said.
Boulos also praised Nigeria’s long history of religious coexistence, describing the country’s diversity as a strength.
“Nigeria is a country in which all sorts of religious, ethnic, and tribal groups have lived together in harmony for centuries. The population is roughly split 50-50 between Christians and Muslims, so this has never been a serious religious issue and should not be,” he added.
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He called for stronger US–Nigeria cooperation in combating terrorism and promoting peace across the country.
Boulos’ comments come amid renewed debate in Washington, where some US lawmakers have called for Nigeria to be reclassified as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged violations of religious freedom.
Recently, US Senator Ted Cruz accused Nigerian officials of “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists,” while Congressman Riley Moore urged the US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, to suspend arms sales to Nigeria until more is done to protect religious minorities.
Nigeria was first placed on the “Country of Particular Concern” list in 2020 under Trump’s administration but was removed in 2021 by President Joe Biden, a decision that drew criticism from several conservative and religious groups in the US.
