The Nigerian government has dismissed claims of religious persecution, saying the country’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all citizens.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar made this clear during a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday, following remarks by former US President Donald Trump, who had threatened military intervention over the alleged killing of Christians in Nigeria.
“There can’t be a religious persecution that can be supported in any way, shape or form by the government of Nigeria at any level,” Tuggar said.
Trump had written on social media that he asked the Pentagon to plan a possible military response, claiming “Christians are being killed in large numbers.”
Tuggar stressed that Nigeria remains committed to religious freedom and the rule of law. He noted that the country’s many conflicts affect both Christians and Muslims, not one group alone.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is nearly evenly divided between a largely Christian south and a Muslim-majority north. Experts say violence often stems from local disputes rather than religion.
Standing alongside his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, Tuggar warned against any effort to divide Nigeria along religious lines, pointing to Sudan’s history as a cautionary example. “We should not create another Sudan,” he said, recalling how divisions based on religion and tribe worsened conflict there.
Trump has not proposed dividing Nigeria but claimed, without evidence, that “thousands of Christians are being killed” by radical Islamist groups.
Nigeria’s foreign affairs ministry also issued a statement reaffirming the country’s position. Spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said the constitution protects every citizen regardless of religion.
“Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it. Like America, Nigeria must continue to celebrate its diversity, which remains its greatest strength,” Ebienfa stated.
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