By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
President Bola Tinubu has rejected the United States’ re-designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), describing the label as a distortion of Nigeria’s true religious identity.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Saturday, Tinubu said the U.S. classification “does not reflect Nigeria’s national reality” and fails to recognize the country’s ongoing efforts to protect religious freedom and tolerance.
“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” the President said. “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 belief for all Nigerians.”
Tinubu emphasized that religious freedom and tolerance remain core elements of Nigeria’s collective identity, adding that the country “opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it.”
His remarks came in response to a post by former U.S. President Donald Trump on Truth Social on Friday, in which Trump announced Nigeria’s designation as a CPC, claiming that “Christianity is facing an existential threat” in the country. Trump alleged that “thousands of Christians are being killed by radical Islamists” and urged the U.S. Congress to investigate the situation.
Under U.S. law, the CPC designation applies to countries accused of engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom. Nigeria was first placed on the list in December 2020 during Trump’s first term but was later removed by the Biden administration in November 2021 a move that drew criticism from U.S. conservative and religious advocacy groups.
Responding to the renewed label, President Tinubu stated that since assuming office in 2023, his administration has maintained open engagement with both Christian and Muslim leaders while addressing security challenges affecting citizens “across faiths and regions.”
He reaffirmed his government’s commitment to working with the U.S. and international partners “to deepen understanding and cooperation on the protection of communities of all faiths.”
Although Nigeria is constitutionally secular, the nation has long grappled with religiously linked tensions, including farmer-herder clashes, insurgent attacks, and mob violence over blasphemy allegations. However, successive Nigerian governments have consistently denied that such conflicts stem from official religious discrimination.
