President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to upholding religious freedom.
Gatekeepers News reports that this comes in response to recurring allegations by some international advocacy groups and religious organisations accusing the Nigerian government of failing to prevent targeted attacks on Christian communities.
Recall that on Friday, US President Donald Trump labelled Nigeria as a country of particular concern, citing ongoing allegations of widespread attacks and killings targeting Christians.
In a statement on Saturday, President Tinubu described the country as a democracy firmly guided by constitutional guarantees of liberty and tolerance.
Tinubu emphasised that his administration remains dedicated to fostering unity and mutual respect among citizens of all faiths, while addressing security challenges affecting both Christian and Muslim communities across the nation.
The president said, “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.”
He dismissed claims portraying Nigeria as religiously intolerant, stating that such characterisations do not reflect the nation’s reality nor acknowledge the government’s ongoing efforts to protect freedom of religion and belief for all citizens.
Tinubu said, “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 reaffirmed that religious tolerance remains a defining element of Nigeria’s identity, noting that the government neither condones nor supports persecution based on faith.
The president added, “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.”
Tinubu further pledged to strengthen collaboration with the United States and other international partners to enhance the protection of faith-based communities and promote global understanding.
He concluded, “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.”
