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US President Donald Trump has given a strong warning to Nigeria. He has said that if the killings and attacks on Christians in Nigeria do not stop, the US will immediately stop all economic and military aid to the Nigerian government.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that if necessary, the United States will act in Nigeria ‘with guns’ and eliminate terrorists who are attacking Christians. Trump said he has ordered his Department of War to prepare for possible military action.
Nigerian President said – no religious persecution here
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said it is wrong to call the country religiously intolerant. He said that the identity of our country is based on religious freedom and equal respect. Nigeria does not promote any religious persecution. The Constitution guarantees protection of all religions.
Nigeria’s Foreign Ministry said,
The Government will protect all citizens, irrespective of their religion, caste or race. Just as America considers its diversity as its strength, Nigeria also considers it as its strength.
A few weeks ago, US Senator Ted Cruz also appealed to Congress to declare Nigeria a country that violates religious freedom. Trump had also said that Christians in Nigeria are going through an existential crisis and ‘radical Islamists’ are responsible for these killings.
Why are Christians being attacked in Nigeria?
Nigeria’s population of 22 crore is almost equally divided between Muslim and Christian communities. Radical Islamic organizations like Boko Haram have been carrying out violence in the country for a long time.
Especially in the northern parts of the country, the Christian as well as the Muslim community is becoming the victim of violence. At many places these attacks take place due to religious reasons, at other times due to land, ethnic conflict, or terrorist networks.
For the first time in 2020, the US placed Nigeria in the list of countries that violate religious freedom. This tag was removed in 2023, which was seen as an attempt to improve relations between the two countries.
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