US President Donald Trump has designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, a status reserved for nations engaged in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act.
In a post made on Truth Social, Mr Trump claimed Christianity in Nigeria faces a serious existential threat because radical Islamists are killing thousands of the country’s Christian population.
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However, a review of Nigeria’s security situation by PREMIUM TIMES and many other media and human rights organisations show that while insecurity persists in many parts of Nigeria, the claim of a Christian genocide is false.
The US designation comes after weeks of campaigns and demands by some Republican lawmakers for the US to sanction Nigeria for allowing the “persecution of Christians.”
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The officials had falsely accused the federal government of facilitating this anti-Christian crusade in an attempt to rid the country of Christians.
A US Senator, Ted Cruz, also introduced a bill aimed at sanctioning the Nigerian government for allegedly supporting radical Islamic terrorist efforts to eliminate the country’s Christian population.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Cruz had claimed extremist groups such as Boko Haram have been going house to house, hunting down Christians for decades, killing wives, children, and Catholic priests in an attempt to rid the country of Christians.
Another member of the US House, Miley Moore, had also tagged Nigeria the deadliest country in the world for Christians.
Mr Moore also wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding that the US use every diplomatic tool to stop what he described as the “slaughter of Christians.”
This includes designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and suspending arms sales and technical support for the country.
“Muslim extremist groups such as ISIS-West Africa, Ansaru, and Boko Haram are major perpetrators. Just last week, Boko Haram ravaged Kirawa, Nigeria, displacing thousands.
“But just as concerning are reports that corrupt cells of the Nigerian government may be complicit,” a part of his letter read.
Speaking on this, Mr Trump stated that he has directed, “Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter.”
“The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a “COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN” – But that is the least of it.
“When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 worldwide), something must be done!” He added.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that claims of Christian persecution in Nigeria are inaccurate, as the nature of Nigeria’s violent crisis varies and manifests in different forms.
A mix of historical grievances, ethnic tensions, economic disparities, religious extremism, and weak governance drives them.
While radical Islamist groups have attacked the churches and Christians in the country, more Muslims have also been killed.
Ideologically driven Jihadist groups, such as Boko Haram, have attacked clerics, carried out abductions, and raided communities irrespective of religious faith.
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For instance, in 2017, at least 50 people were killed when a bomb was detonated in a mosque in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi, Adamawa State.
Also in 2018, a double suicide bombing in another mosque in Adamawa led to the death of 86 people.
PREMIUM TIMES also reported that allegations of Christian genocide reductively compress Nigeria’s complex security challenges into a false singular narrative that distorts the reality of the situation.
Conflict experts and researchers have noted that such claims are likely to stoke more violence in an already fragile system.
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