No Christian, Muslim genocides in Nigeria – Tinubu
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has again dismissed claims that there is a Christian genocide in Nigeria, insisting that neither Christians nor Muslims are being deliberately targeted for killing.
Tinubu made this known on Friday in Abuja while declaring open the 8th Biennial Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT), themed “Building Resilience in a Changing World: The Role of Faith and Community.”
The President, who was represented at the event by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said Nigeria is battling terrorism driven by criminality and extremism, not religious persecution.
“These allegations are not only false but harmful. They are capable of inflaming passions and disrupting the peaceful coexistence we continue to build as a nation,” Tinubu said.
He stressed that Nigeria does not foster or tolerate policies or actions aimed at persecuting any religious group, noting that both Muslims and Christians have been victims of terrorism.
“Muslims and Christians alike have suffered from terrorism in Nigeria, and they stand shoulder to shoulder in condemning violence from any quarter.
“As President, I reiterate with all sense of responsibility and fidelity to the Constitution that there is no Christian genocide in Nigeria, and there is no Muslim genocide in Nigeria. What we have is terrorism driven by criminality and extremism, challenges we are working tirelessly to overcome,” the President added.
The President’s comments come weeks after United States President Donald Trump claimed that Christians were being targeted for killing in Nigeria and threatened to deploy U.S. military forces if the Federal Government failed to address the situation.
Trump also designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern,” alleging that Christians were being persecuted while the Federal Government looked the other way.
Tinubu, however, maintained that insecurity in Nigeria is rooted in historical, economic, and criminal factors rather than religious persecution, adding that his administration remains committed to promoting national unity, religious freedom, and the security of every human life.
