Nigeria’s foreign minister says constitution guarantees religious freedom, responding to Trump’s military intervention threat over Christian killings.
BERLIN: Nigeria’s government has firmly rejected claims of religious persecution following US President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention over Christian killings.
Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar stated Nigeria’s constitution does not permit religious persecution at any government level during a Berlin press conference.
“It’s impossible for there to be a religious persecution that can be supported in any way, shape or form by the government of Nigeria at any level,” Tuggar said.
The comments mark the first senior Nigerian response to Trump’s weekend social media threat about mapping attack plans over Christian killings.
Tuggar emphasised Nigeria’s “constitutional commitment to religious freedom and rule of law”.
Africa’s most populous nation divides roughly between Christian south and Muslim-majority north with conflicts affecting both faiths equally.
Online claims of Christian persecution have gained traction among US and European right-wing groups recently.
Tuggar warned against religious division attempts while drawing parallels with Sudan’s partitioning crisis.
“What we are trying to make the world understand is that we should not create another Sudan,” he said.
Trump alleged without evidence that “thousands of Christians are being killed” by radical Islamists in Nigeria.
Nigeria maintains jihadist attacks do not specifically target Christians over other religious groups. – AFP
