The Nigerian government on Sunday responded to a warning from U.S. President Donald Trump that the United States could take military action in the African nation if its government does not more to curb the persecution of Christians there by Islamic terrorists.
“We welcome U.S. assistance as long as it recognizes our territorial integrity,” Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, told Reuters.
On Saturday, Tinubu rejected accusations of religious persecution against Christians and defended Nigeria’s “sincere efforts” to protect religious freedom.
“The characterization 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,” Tinubu said in a statement released on X. “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”
He also said Nigeria is a country that also has “constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths,” adding that his government will work with the United States on this matter.
In a Saturday post on Truth Social, Trump stated that Islamic terrorists were carrying out mass killings of Christians and that the religion is “facing an existential threat” in the West African country.
Hellbound and Down 