President Bola Tinubu has rejected Nigeria’s re-designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) by former U.S. President Donald Trump, saying the label misrepresents the country’s religious reality.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Saturday, Tinubu said Nigeria “stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty” and described the characterization of the country as religiously intolerant as inaccurate.
“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,” the President said.
He added that “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.”
Trump had announced Nigeria’s CPC designation on Friday via a post on Truth Social, citing the killings of thousands of Christians in the country and blaming radical Islamists. He called on U.S. lawmakers to investigate the situation, warning that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other countries.”
The CPC label, under U.S. law, is applied to countries whose governments engage in or tolerate “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” Nigeria was first added to the list in December 2020, removed by the Biden administration in November 2021, and has remained a subject of debate among U.S. religious freedom advocates.
Tinubu, who assumed office in 2023, emphasised that his administration has maintained “open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike” and continues to tackle security challenges affecting citizens across faiths and regions.
He also reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to cooperate with the U.S. and international partners, stating: “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.”