The Senior Advisor to the former President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, on Arab and African Affairs, Mr. Massad Boulos, has rejected recent claims suggesting that Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria.
He stated that the United States government is aware that terrorist organisations such as Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians in the country.
US Senator Ted Cruz, in a post on X (formerly Twitter) two Tuesdays ago, accused the Nigerian government of enabling the mass killing of Christians.
Senator Cruz alleged that not fewer than 50,000 Christians have been killed since 2009, while 2,000 schools and 18,000 churches have been destroyed by what he described as Islamist armed groups.
As a result, he introduced a bill seeking sanctions against Nigerian officials whom he accused of ignoring or even aiding the mass killings of Christians.
However, Mr. Boulos, while speaking with journalists in Rome after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday, described every loss of life as “unfortunate”, emphasising that terrorism in Nigeria is indiscriminate and affects individuals of all faiths and ethnic groups.
“Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe.
“People of all religions and all tribes are dying as a result of terrorist acts.
“We even know that Boko Haram and ISIS are killing more Muslims than Christians.
“This is not specifically targeted at one group or the other,” Boulos said.
He further noted that the United States acknowledges the steps taken by President Tinubu’s administration to combat insecurity and address the farmer-herder conflicts in the North-Central region.
“The Nigerian government and President Tinubu’s administration have recently taken additional measures and put more resources in those areas, and we’ve seen some improvements in recent weeks.
“We appreciate those measures, and we definitely look forward to more of those, and we look forward to ending these sorts of acts, wherever they come from,” he noted.
Boulos highlighted that Nigeria remains a model of religious harmony, describing it as a “melting pot” where Christians and Muslims have coexisted peacefully for centuries.
“Nigeria’s population is split almost 50/50 between Christians and Muslims.
“This has never been a serious religious issue, and should not be.
“We appreciate what President Tinubu has done, and we shall continue to work together to make sure it’s taken care of,” he said.
He reaffirmed the United States government’s dedication to supporting Nigeria in resolving conflicts and enhancing national unity, urging ongoing cooperation to eliminate terrorism and promote peace across all regions.
