- Dabiri-Erewa Slams Trump Over False Claim of Christian Persecution in Nigeria
- President Tinubu and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already issued strong responses to the U.S. government’s
- President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to democracy and religious liberty
The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has dismissed recent comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump accusing Nigeria of persecuting Christians.
Eko Hot Blog reports that in a post shared on her X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, Dabiri-Erewa described Trump’s remarks as “false and unfair,” urging him instead to support President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and protect innocent civilians.
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She noted that both President Tinubu and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already issued strong responses to the U.S. government’s classification of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged religious persecution.
“The perception is definitely not true,” Dabiri-Erewa wrote. “There are issues with evil terrorists in some parts of the country, no doubt. What @POTUS needs to do is support the efforts of our government in quashing them, not so falsely denigrate our country.”
She reaffirmed that Nigeria under Tinubu “remains steadfast in upholding democracy, religious freedom, and constitutional guarantees that protect citizens of all faiths.” She also called on Nigerians at home and abroad to remain united in building a nation rooted in “unity, tolerance, and mutual respect.”
Trump’s remarks, posted on his Truth Social account last Friday and Saturday, accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians and warned that the U.S. might “go in guns blazing” if the killings continued. His comment sparked widespread backlash and prompted official responses from Abuja.
“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 said.
In a statement on X, President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to democracy and religious liberty, saying the country’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. He added that his administration has been working closely with both Christian and Muslim leaders to promote peace and security.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” Tinubu said. “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.”
Rejecting what he called “foreign misrepresentations,” Tinubu stressed that the portrayal of Nigeria as religiously intolerant was inaccurate and did not reflect the country’s diversity or commitment to peaceful coexistence.
“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,” he stated.
The President reaffirmed that religious tolerance “has been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so,” adding that Nigeria will continue to collaborate with the United States and other global partners to foster mutual understanding and protect communities of all faiths.
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