WORK WITH NIGERIA TO FIGHT TERRORISM,’ KEYAMO TELLS TRUMP, CRITICIZES FALSE NARRATIVES
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By: Muftau Fatimo
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to strengthen cooperation with Nigeria in tackling terrorism, rather than relying on what he described as inaccurate external narratives.
Keyamo also debunked Trump’s claims of mass or targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria, asserting that such allegations do not reflect the country’s realities.
The minister made the clarification in an open letter posted Wednesday on his verified X account.
The Minister emphasized that he was born and raised a Christian, reminding Trump of his decades-long activism, including receiving the Global Human Rights Award in Washington in 2017 from the United States Global Leadership Council.
He stressed that, contrary to circulating allegations, Christians in Nigeria are not being specifically targeted for persecution or killings based on their faith.
“It would have been unconscionable for me to serve in any government that targets Christians. It is simply not true that Christians are being specifically targeted in Nigeria for persecution, killings, or harassment on account of their faith,” Keyamo wrote.
The minister acknowledged that Nigeria faces violence from extremist and criminal groups, including Boko Haram, armed herdsmen, and cattle rustlers, but noted that these security challenges predate the current administration and affect citizens of all religious backgrounds.
Keyamo also highlighted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, though a Muslim, is widely seen as a moderate leader with strong ties to the Christian community. He noted that Tinubu’s wife is a pastor in a major Pentecostal church, and many of his children are practicing Christians.
He emphasized that many of the service chiefs appointed by President Tinubu are Christians, noting that it would be illogical to suggest they were involved in any faith-based killings.
“Nigeria is a secular state. Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of a state religion. The insecurity in certain regions affects followers of all faiths, and the government has never favored one group over another,” he added.
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