President Bola Tinubu has rejected United States PresidentDonald Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a “country of particularconcern” over alleged religious persecution. In a statement on Saturday, Tinubu said Nigeria remains ademocracy anchored on constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion andbelief. “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed byconstitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” the president said. “The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerantdoes not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration theconsistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom ofreligion and beliefs for all Nigerians.” Trump had on Friday announced via his Truth Social platformthat Nigeria had been redesignated on the US religious freedom watchlist as a“country of particular concern”. The move follows growing criticism by some US lawmakers,American evangelical groups and lobbyists who allege persecution of Christiansin parts of Nigeria. However, Tinubu described those claims as inaccurate andunhelpful, adding that his administration has maintained open and activeengagement with leaders of both major religions since assuming office in 2023. “Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open andactive engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues toaddress security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions,”he said. Tinubu said his government continues to invest in securityreforms to protect communities from terrorism and banditry, regardless ofreligious affiliation. He noted that violent groups operating in parts of thecountry target both Christians and Muslims, undermining national peace andunity. “Religious freedom and tolerance have been core tenets ofour collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religiouspersecution and does not encourage it,” the president said. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment tocollaborating with the US and other international partners to deepenunderstanding, promote coexistence, and strengthen mechanisms that protectvulnerable communities. “Our administration is committed to working with the UnitedStates government and the international community to deepen understanding andcooperation on protection of communities of all faiths,” Tinubu said. “Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees toprotect citizens of all faiths. Intolerance is not our identity.” Nigeria was first designated as a “country of particularconcern” by the Trump administration in 2020 but was removed from the list in2021 by former President Joe Biden.
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