President Bola Tinubu has addressed the recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” by President Donald Trump, who cited concerns over religious intolerance in the country.
In a detailed statement posted on his official X handle @OfficialABAT, President Tinubu firmly rejected the characterisation, affirming Nigeria’s commitment to religious liberty and constitutional democracy.
In the post, the President stressed that Nigeria remains a democracy “governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.” He highlighted that since his administration began in 2023, it has actively engaged Christian and Muslim leaders and worked tirelessly to address security challenges impacting citizens across different faiths and regions.
President Tinubu emphasised, “The characterisation 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.”
He further underlined Nigeria’s foundational values, saying, “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.”
The President reiterated that the Nigerian constitution guarantees protection for citizens of all faiths and pledged continued cooperation with the United States and the international community.
“Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths,” he stated.
The full text of his post is reproduced below:
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
“Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.
“The characterisation 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.
“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.
“Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.
“Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths.”
Credit: The Sun