President Bola Tinubu has dismissed Nigeria’s re-designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) by former United States President Donald Trump, describing the label as a misrepresentation of Nigeria’s religious reality.
In a statement shared on his official X handle on Saturday, the President maintained that Nigeria remains a democracy founded on constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.
“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,” Tinubu said.
He added that religious tolerance and freedom have long been integral to Nigeria’s identity.
“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’s response came after Trump announced on Truth Social on Friday that Nigeria had been designated a “Country of Particular Concern,” citing alleged mass killings of Christians by radical extremists.
Trump wrote:
“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.’ The
United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening.”
Under U.S. law, the CPC designation is reserved for nations where authorities engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom. Nigeria was first placed on the list in December 2020 during Trump’s first term but was later removed by the Biden administration in November 2021—a move that drew criticism from conservative circles and advocacy groups.
Responding to the renewed designation, President Tinubu emphasised that since assuming office in 2023, his administration has maintained open engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders and continues to address security challenges that affect citizens regardless of faith.
He reiterated his government’s commitment to collaborate with the U.S. and international partners to foster mutual understanding and strengthen protections for all religious communities.
“Our administration is committed to working with the United States government and the international community to deepen understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths,” he added.
Although Nigeria is constitutionally secular, religious tensions—particularly between the Christian-majority South and Muslim-majority North—have historically contributed to conflicts, including insurgent attacks, farmer-herder clashes, and mob violence over alleged blasphemy.
Successive administrations, however, have denied that such conflicts stem from state-sanctioned religious persecution.
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