The minister of aviation and aerospace development, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed claims that Christians are being systematically killed in Nigeria.
According to him, even opposition politicians in Nigeria agree that there is no deliberate targeting of Christians.
The minister’s response follows remarks by United States President Donald Trump, who on Saturday ordered the Pentagon to “prepare for action” in Nigeria over alleged killings of Christians.
Trump had warned that if the Nigerian government failed to stop the alleged attacks, the United States would launch strikes that would be “fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs who attack our cherished Christians.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Keyamo said Trump’s comments were based on false information.
The aviation minister explained that he has practised law for over three decades and spent much of his career defending and promoting human rights.
“In 2017, right there in Washington, I was found worthy to be awarded the Global Human Rights Award by the United States Global Leadership Council, which had the eminent Dr Reuben Egolf as its chairman at the time,” he said.
“This was in recognition of my work over the years in the promotion of the rights of the downtrodden people. I was also born and raised as a Christian in Nigeria.”
Keyamo added that his faith and personal ethics would never allow him to serve in a government that targets Christians.
“It would have been most unconscionable for me to associate with – let alone accept to serve or continue to serve – a government if truly there is any scintilla of truth in the assertion that Christians are specifically targeted in Nigeria for persecution, killings or harassment on account of their faith. It is simply not true,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria’s security challenges stem from decades-old crises caused by groups such as Boko Haram and armed herders, not religious persecution.
“These decades-old problems were inherited by our president who has made great progress in the fight against these insurgents,” he said.
“In fact, most of the security chiefs appointed by him are Christians, so it would be unthinkable to imagine them being complicit in the killing of fellow Christians in Nigeria.”
Keyamo described President Bola Tinubu as a “moderate” Muslim whose family embodies Nigeria’s religious balance.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, though a Muslim, is a known ‘moderate’, whose wife is a pastor of one of the biggest Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria and most of his children are practising Christians,” he said.
“When he was governor of Lagos State, he regularly invited Christian pastors for prayers and worship sessions at the government house.
“He will be the last person to either adopt the killing of Christians as a state policy, or condone such acts or be complicit in them.”
Keyamo also stressed that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of any state religion.
“Nigeria is a secular state and our constitution explicitly provides for freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of a state religion, reflecting its status as a multi-faith nation,” he said.
‘No Targeted Killing of Christians in Nigeria’
The minister noted that insecurity in various parts of the country affects citizens of all religions.
“In all honesty, the insecurity in some parts of the country over the years has impacted adherents of all religions and this government has not sought to protect one set of adherents and ignore the others,” he said.
“Ordinarily, opposition politicians will oppose the government of the day. But on this matter, President Trump, you would have observed that leaders of the opposition parties in Nigeria are united on one point: there is no targeted killing of Christians in Nigeria,” he said.
Keyamo appealed to the US government to support Nigeria’s fight against terrorism through cooperation rather than misinformation.
“President Trump, the Nigerian people ask for deep and sincere understanding from your government at this point,” he said.
“The Nigerian people ask for support and cooperation from your government at this point to confront this decades-old menace of terrorism. We ask for collaboration.
“We ask for frank and open dialogue at this time with your government. We ask that you broaden your sources of information so as to get a balanced view of the happenings in Nigeria.”