Dare Babalola
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s position as a democratic nation committed to upholding constitutional guarantees of religious liberty for all citizens.
In a statement he personally signed on Saturday to address recent international characterisations of Nigeria especially by President Donald Trump, the President emphasised that since assuming office in 2023, his administration has actively engaged with both Christian and Muslim leaders and continues to tackle security challenges affecting communities across all faiths and regions.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.”
Tinubu continued that religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of the collective identity of Nigerians and shall always remain so. “Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it,” the president declared.
He continued, “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 understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths.”
Earlier today, Bayo Onanuga, the president’s media aide said the lives of Muslims living in Nigeria also matter.
Onanuga made the remark while reacting to a post on X by the United States, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the alleged genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Rubio had while reacting to the decision of President Trump’s administration to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concerns, said the “ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians in Nigeria by radical Islamists and Fulani ethnic militias is both tragic and unacceptable.
“As @POTUS said, the United States stands ready, willing, and able to act”.
However, Onanuga, who has consistently debunked the claim of persecution of Christians in Nigeria, said in the comment section, “Secretary Rubio, Muslim lives matter too”.
Onanuga further declared that there “is no ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians in Nigeria”, stressing that the claim is a “gross exaggeration of the Nigerian situation”.
According to him, “What we do have are sporadic attacks on some villages by bandits and terrorists and the attacks are religiously insensitive. Christians, Muslims, churches and mosques are attacked randomly.
“What our country requires from America is military support to fight these violent extremists in some states of our country, not designation as a nation of particular concern”.
