'Religious freedom, tolerance…': Nigeria rejects Trump's Christian killings claim | World News – Hindustan Times

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Hours after being placed on the US State Department’s watch list of “countries of particular concern,” Nigeria dismissed President Donald Trump’s claim that Christianity in the country faces an “existential threat.”
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in a detailed X post, clarified that the country’s constitution protects citizens of all faiths, and also expressed willingness to work in close coordination with the US to protect the communities better.
“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,” a part of Tinubu’s tweet read.
Donald Trump made a big claim on Saturday, alleging that thousands of Christians were being killed in Nigeria. “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,” a part of Trump’s post read.
Hours later, Tinubu reacted to the US move, asserting that since 2023, the Nigerian government has closely coordinated with Christian and Muslim leaders alike.
“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,” Tinubu said.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump doubled down on his charges against Nigeria on Sunday, threatening to go ‘guns-a-blazing’ into the country to wipe out what he called “Islamic terrorists”.
“I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our Cherished Christians,” he said in a post.
While Islamist insurgency has reportedly been on the rise in Nigeria in the recent times, attacks have targeted both Muslims and Christians.

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