Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has dismissed allegations of religious persecution in the country, insisting that the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of religion and does not condone discrimination based on faith.
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Germany, on Tuesday, Tuggar reacted to recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who had threatened possible military intervention in response to what he described as the “mass killing of Christians” in Nigeria.
Tuggar maintained that such claims were unfounded, emphasizing that Nigeria’s government would never support or tolerate persecution of any religious group.
“It’s impossible for there to be a religious persecution that can be supported in any way, shape, or form by the government of Nigeria at any level,” the minister said.
Over the weekend, President Trump alleged on social media that “thousands of Christians are being killed” in Nigeria and claimed to have directed the Pentagon to prepare a potential plan of attack.
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However, Tuggar reiterated that Nigeria remains committed to upholding its constitutional values of religious liberty and the rule of law. He cautioned against any external attempts to sow division along religious or ethnic lines, warning that such actions could destabilize the nation.
“What we are trying to make the world understand is that we should not create another Sudan,” Tuggar noted. “We’ve seen what has happened in Sudan—partitioning along religious and tribal lines has only led to deeper crisis.”
While Trump did not call for Nigeria’s division, he has consistently accused “radical Islamists” of carrying out mass killings of Christians. Nigerian authorities, however, have rejected the notion that attacks by extremist groups specifically target Christians, stressing that victims have come from diverse religious backgrounds.
Tuggar reaffirmed that Nigeria remains united and committed to fostering peaceful coexistence among its multi-religious population.