I will not have taken appointment under this Govt – Tinubus Minister writes Trump, says Christian genocide is false
I will not have taken appointment under this Govt – Tinubus Minister writes Trump, says Christian genocide is false
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed allegations by U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting that Christians are being systematically killed in Nigeria, saying such claims “do not reflect the realities” in the country.
In an open letter posted Wednesday on his X account, Keyamo urged the U.S. president to strengthen cooperation with Nigeria in combating terrorism instead of relying on “inaccurate external narratives.”
Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and long-time human rights lawyer, said his Christian upbringing and decades of activism make it impossible for him to support or participate in any administration that promotes religious persecution.
“It would have been unconscionable for me to serve in any government that targets Christians,” he wrote.
“It is simply not true that Christians are being specifically targeted in Nigeria for persecution, killings, or harassment on account of their faith.”
The minister noted that the security challenges confronting Nigeria stem from the activities of extremist and criminal groups—such as Boko Haram, armed herdsmen, and cattle rustlers—that have attacked citizens regardless of their religious beliefs.
He stressed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration upholds religious tolerance, pointing out that Tinubu, a Muslim, is married to a pastor in a major Pentecostal church and that several of his children are practising Christians.
Keyamo also highlighted that many of the nation’s service chiefs are Christians, arguing that it would be “illogical” to suggest their complicity in faith-based violence.
“Nigeria is a secular state,” he affirmed. “Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of a state religion. The insecurity experienced in some regions has affected adherents of all faiths, and the government has never shielded one group at the expense of another.”
He further observed that even opposition leaders—often critical of the government—have acknowledged that no evidence supports claims of targeted killings of Christians.
Keyamo appealed to Trump and the U.S. government to “seek more balanced information on Nigeria” and to work closely with the Nigerian authorities in addressing terrorism and insurgency.
“The Nigerian people ask for sincere understanding, cooperation, and open dialogue with your government. We ask that you broaden your sources of information to gain a balanced view of events in Nigeria,” he wrote.
He concluded by reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to peace, unity, and religious coexistence, signing the letter as Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK).
