The Federal Government on Wednesday met with members of the diplomatic corps in Abuja to address recent allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria and to reject the United States’ decision to classify the country as one of “particular concern.” Officials maintained that Nigeria does not target any group on the basis of faith.
Speaking at the diplomatic briefing, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed, said that claims of religious persecution in Nigeria were inaccurate and misrepresented the nation’s legal and social framework.
He explained that Nigeria’s laws are neutral and designed to protect all citizens equally, adding that “Christian and Muslim institutions continue to operate freely, promoting peaceful coexistence.” Ahmed further clarified that while Sharia law exists in some northern states, it applies only to Muslims and operates under the supervision of Nigeria’s secular judicial system.
Also addressing journalists, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, criticised the US designation, calling it the result of “misrepresentation and misinformation.”
According to Idris, the country’s insecurity challenges are not religiously motivated.
“Criminal activities and terrorism do not target any particular religious group. This is not about religion; it is about crime,” he said.
The minister revealed that since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023, security forces have neutralised more than 13,500 terrorists, arrested over 17,000 suspects, and rescued nearly 9,850 abducted persons, including women and children.
He added that the President is already using diplomatic channels to correct what he called a “misjudgment of Nigeria’s reality,” while reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to working with the international community to eliminate terrorism and violent extremism
Keyamo Writes Trump
In a related development, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, wrote an open letter to former US President Donald Trump, disputing claims of targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.
Posting the letter on his verified X handle, Keyamo said he was compelled to respond “as a Christian and as a public official,” arguing that Nigeria was being unfairly portrayed.
He explained that even within President Tinubu’s immediate family, there is clear religious diversity — the President is Muslim, while his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is a pastor in one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal churches, and his children are practising Christians.
“President Tinubu is a known moderate who, as Governor of Lagos State, often invited Christian pastors for prayers at Government House. He would be the last person to condone or promote any form of persecution,” Keyamo said.
He stressed that the idea of a Christian genocide in Nigeria was exaggerated and misleading, and should not form the basis of US foreign policy.
Olurode Warns FG
Meanwhile, former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Lai Olurode, urged the Federal Government to be diplomatic in responding to the US position.
He advised that Nigeria must avoid any action that could escalate tensions with the United States, describing Trump as someone who “could even be angry with the truth.”
“President Tinubu’s government should display decorum and respect for the most powerful country in a unipolar world. Nigeria must not turn itself into a theatre of war,” Olurode said.
He called on Nigerian elites to unite behind the government, warning that “it would be suicidal to walk into America’s death trap.”
Enang Advises Government
Former presidential aide Senator Ita Enang also cautioned the Federal Government against making hasty decisions in response to Washington’s comments.
“This is a diplomatic issue that must be treated with utmost caution,” Enang said. “Not every government official should make statements capable of inflaming the situation or misrepresenting Nigeria’s position.”
He recommended that the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Intelligence Agency, and the National Assembly should coordinate a unified national response.
Enang also urged both chambers of the National Assembly to hold a joint session to adopt a collective resolution, ensuring that “Nigeria speaks with one national voice.”
Turning to domestic issues, Enang noted that the Federal Government was “fiscally overstretched” compared to states and local governments, which now enjoy larger revenue allocations.
“The truth is that the Federal Government is broke,” he said. “It funds the army, police, DSS, civil defence, and many other agencies, yet receives only about half of national revenue. It makes neither fiscal nor moral sense.”
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Nigerian Air Force Steps Up Operations
Meanwhile, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has ordered all air component commanders across the country to intensify precision airstrikes against terrorists and armed groups.
A statement by Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said the meeting brought together commanders from all active theatres of operation, from the forests of Zamfara to the riverine areas of the Niger Delta and the North-East.
Aneke charged the commanders to “fly smarter and strike harder,” stressing that operations must be intelligence-driven and well-coordinated with land and maritime forces.
“Every mission must reflect professionalism, purpose, and patriotism,” he said, adding that the military’s goal remains to protect the lives and property of Nigerians through joint, coordinated action.
