Amid widespread reactions to United States President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy military action in Nigeria, the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Nigerian government on Wednesday held a meeting with members of the diplomatic corps in Abuja.
The summons was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following Trump’s remarks.
It comes in the wake of US President Trump threatening to cut all aid to Nigeria and deploy U.S. troops if “genocide against Christians” continued unabated.
At the diplomatic meeting, the Nigerian government addressed the allegations of religious persecution and also rejected the United States’ designation of Nigeria as a country of particular concern, insisting that the country didn’t target any group on the basis of faith.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Ahmed, stated that claims of religious persecution misrepresented the country’s legal and social framework.
Ahmed said Nigeria’s national laws were religion-neutral and designed to protect all communities equally.
He emphasised that there was no offence of blasphemy in the national legal framework, adding that Shari’a laws applicable in some northern states applied only to Muslims and operated under the supervision of the secular judicial system.
“Christian and Muslim institutions continue to operate freely, promoting peaceful coexistence,” he said.
Last Friday, President Trump announced that, in response to claims of genocide against Christians in Nigeria, he had redesignated the country as a “Country of Particular Concern.”
He made the announcement on his Truth Social media platform, writing: “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“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,” he wrote.
Nigeria, however, denied any genocide against Christians.
However, President Tinubu has reiterated that “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty.”
He noted that since assuming office in 2023, his administration has maintained active engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders while working to address security challenges affecting citizens regardless of religious affiliation.
“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 stated.
Tinubu dismissed what he described as a mischaracterisation of Nigeria’s religious landscape by external observers, saying such claims fail to reflect the country’s diversity and the government’s ongoing efforts to promote peaceful coexistence.
On Tuesday, China declared its unwavering support for the Nigerian government, saying it stands by Nigeria as it “leads its people on the development path suited to its national conditions.”
This position was announced at a press conference by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning.
The Chinese minister was quoted by TheCable as saying: “As Nigeria’s comprehensive strategic partner, China firmly opposes any country using religion and human rights as an excuse to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs, and threatening other countries with sanctions and force.”
Ning was responding to a question on U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians.
The European Union (EU) also restated its solidarity with Nigeria, declaring full respect for the country’s sovereignty and reaffirming its commitment to strengthen cooperation in peacebuilding, interfaith dialogue, and human rights protection.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr. Gautier Mignot, made the remarks during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos, while reacting to Trump’s comments threatening possible military action against Nigeria.
Mignot stressed that the EU’s position was guided by “long-standing partnership and shared values” with Nigeria, not external influence.
“Our position is one of solidarity with Nigeria. Solidarity with the victims of violence, with the authorities working to protect citizens, and with the Nigerian people who overwhelmingly desire peaceful coexistence beyond ethnic and religious divides.
“We respect Nigeria’s sovereignty and constitutional commitment to religious neutrality,” he said.
