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| Massad Boulos. |
The Senior Advisor to former United States President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs, Mr. Massad Boulos, has refuted recent allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria.
He stated that the US government is aware that terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians in the country.
Two Tuesdays ago, US Senator Ted Cruz, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accused the Nigerian government of enabling the mass killing of Christians.
Senator Cruz claimed that no fewer than 50,000 Christians have been killed since 2009, while 2,000 schools and 18,000 churches have been destroyed by what he described as Islamist armed groups.
He consequently proposed a bill to sanction Nigerian officials who he alleged have ignored or assisted in the mass killing of Christians.
However, speaking to journalists in Rome after meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday, Mr. Boulos described every loss of life as “unfortunate”, noting that terrorism in Nigeria cuts across all religions and ethnic groups.
“Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe.
“People of all religions and all tribes are dying as a result of terrorist acts.
“We even know that Boko Haram and ISIS are killing more Muslims than Christians.
“This is not specifically targeted at one group or the other,” Boulos said.
He added that the US recognises the efforts of President Tinubu’s administration in addressing insecurity and the farmer-herder conflicts in the North-Central region.
“The Nigerian government and President Tinubu’s administration have recently taken additional measures and put more resources in those areas, and we’ve seen some improvements in recent weeks.
“We appreciate those measures, and we definitely look forward to more of those, and we look forward to ending these sorts of acts, wherever they come from,” he stated.
Boulos further described Nigeria as a “melting pot” where Christians and Muslims have coexisted peacefully for centuries, emphasising its record of religious tolerance.
“Nigeria’s population is split almost 50/50 between Christians and Muslims.
“This has never been a serious religious issue, and should not be.
“We appreciate what President Tinubu has done, and we shall continue to work together to make sure it’s taken care of,” he said.
He reiterated the US government’s commitment to partnering with Nigeria to strengthen unity, end terrorism, and promote peace throughout the country.
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