Former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad, has commended Massad Boulos, a former Senior Adviser to ex-U.S. President Donald Trump, for dismissing claims that Christians are being deliberately targeted in Nigeria.
Boulos, who served as Trump’s Senior Adviser on Arab and African Affairs, said terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS had killed more Muslims than Christians in the country.
He made the remarks in a video shared by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on Friday, while responding to questions about allegations by some U.S. politicians that Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria.
Boulos described such allegations as “unfortunate and misleading,” noting that terrorism in Nigeria was not based on religion but rather a broader issue of insecurity affecting people of all faiths.
“Those who know the terrain well understand that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe. People of all backgrounds are victims. Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians,” he said.
The U.S. diplomat also acknowledged that the farmer-herder clashes in the Middle Belt were real but maintained that they were not religiously motivated.
He commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for intensifying efforts to improve security across the country, saying recent measures were beginning to yield positive results.
Boulos further praised Nigeria’s long-standing tradition of peaceful religious coexistence, describing its diversity as a source of strength.
“Nigeria is a nation where Christians and Muslims have lived side by side for centuries. The country’s population is almost evenly split between both faiths, and religion should never be a source of division,” he said.
Reacting in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Ahmad said the U.S. diplomat’s comments should inspire stronger and more coordinated actions by Nigerian security agencies against terrorist groups and criminal networks.
“Good to see senior U.S. officials publicly pushing back against that dangerous ‘Christian genocide’ narrative,” Ahmad wrote.
“I hope this clearer framing leads to stronger and more coordinated action by our troops against terrorists and other criminal elements,” he added.