The Presidency has announced that President Bola Tinubu will meet with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, in the coming days to discuss allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, revealed this in a post on X on Saturday, after Trump’s previous accusations that the Nigerian government ignores attacks on Christians.
Bwala stated that the planned meeting would focus on counterterrorism cooperation and dispelling myths about the nature of terrorist assaults in Nigeria.
“Both President @officialABAT and President @realDonaldTrump have shared interests in the fight against insurgency and all forms of terrorism against humanity,” Bwala wrote.
“President Trump has assisted Nigeria a lot by authorizing the sale of arms, and President Tinubu has adequately utilized that opportunity in the fight against terrorism, with massive results to show for it.
“As for the differences as to whether terrorists in Nigeria target only Christians or all faiths, those would be discussed and resolved by the two leaders when they meet in the coming days, either in the State House or White House.”
Trump recently threatened military action against Nigeria, stating that US aid to the country could be suspended due to claimed Christian persecution.
Trump’s threat follows weeks-long accusations by a US lawmaker, Riley Moore, who alleged “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians” in Nigeria and called the country the deadliest place in the world for followers of the faith, a claim the federal government has repeatedly debunked.
Moore urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take immediate diplomatic action on October 6, calling for Nigeria to be designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and suspending arms sales until the Nigerian government demonstrates a “tangible commitment” to putting an end to the violence.
His statement provoked much debate about the legitimacy of his assertions.
Consequently, on Friday, Trump labeled Nigeria a ‘nation of particular concern’ in response to reports of a Christian genocide.
He wrote, “Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern.’
“But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 worldwide), something must be done!
“I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter and report back to me.”
On Saturday, the Republican leader added that he has requested the Pentagon to devise a possible strike strategy.
“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,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“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 added.
Bwala, on the other hand, stated that both leaders are committed to combating insurgency and terrorism while also promoting global peace and security cooperation.
