Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar on Tuesday pushed back against US President Donald Trump’s claim that the Nigerian government was failing to rein in the persecution of Christians in the West African nation.
At a press conference in Berlin alongside his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, Tuggar pointed to  a physical copy of his country’s “constitutional commitment to religious freedom and rule of law.”
“This is what shows that 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, be it federal, be it regional, be it local, it’s impossible,” Tuggar said.
Trump threatens military action in Nigeria
Over the weekend, Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he would halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria if the government “continues to allow the killing of Christians.” He also made threats of military action.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’Â to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” Trump wrote posted.
“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.
The warning of possible military action came after Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu pushed back on Trump labeling Nigeria “a country of particular concern” because of religious violence.
Why is Trump taking aim at Nigeria?
A group of conservative think tanks, Christian organizations and other advocates lobbied hard to have the Trump administration designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, according to US outlet The Hill.
The group of advocates on October 15 sent a letter to the Trump administration demanding the designation to be applied to Nigeria, with others like comedian Bill Maher and Grammy Award-winning artist Nicki Minaj having also voiced their support on the issue.
CNN reported that Trump was “immediately” angered en route to Florida on Friday afternoon aboard Air Force One after he watched a Fox News segment on how Christians were being targeted by Islamic groups in Nigeria.
But the assertion that the government was not doing enough to protect Christians in the country has provoked strong reactions in the West African nation since both Christians and Muslims have been victims of attacks by radical Islamist groups.
The assertion has been long floated in right-wing and conservative circles but appears to have gained traction in recent months, with Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas having introduced a bill in August calling for sanctions against Nigeria for purported violations of religious freedom.
Edited by: Zac CrellinÂ
