Don’t turn Nigeria into another Sudan over false claims, FG warns

Don’t turn Nigeria into another Sudan over false claims, FG warns

The Federal Government has dismissed allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria, warning that such claims, if allowed to gain traction, could fuel divisions capable of destabilising the country in the same way Sudan was plunged into conflict.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, issued the warning in Berlin while responding to comments credited to former U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused the Nigerian government of enabling attacks on Christians.

Speaking during a meeting with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, Tuggar insisted that Nigeria’s constitutional structure makes state-backed religious persecution “impossible.”

“Nigeria is constitutionally committed to religious freedom and the rule of law. It is impossible for there to be religious persecution supported by any arm of government — federal, regional, or local,” he said.

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The minister stressed that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation with over 230 million citizens, cannot afford to be pushed toward sectarian division.

“We should not create another Sudan,” Tuggar warned, recalling how religious and tribal agitations contributed to the break-up and prolonged crisis in the former Sudan and its successor states.

He said Nigeria remains committed to protecting the rights of all citizens, regardless of their faith or ethnicity, and will continue partnering with the international community to promote peace, tolerance and national cohesion.

Tuggar further noted that as a member of the African Union Peace and Security Council, Nigeria plays a key role in resolving regional conflicts and must not be framed as a country driven by religious hostility.

“The laws are there. The answers are there. What we are trying to make the world understand is that Nigeria cannot be destabilised by narratives that do not reflect reality,” he said.

The minister’s comments come amid growing diplomatic tension over claims of targeted killings of Christians in parts of northern Nigeria — allegations the government maintains are either exaggerated or misrepresented, as security challenges affect citizens of multiple faiths.

 

Don’t turn Nigeria into another Sudan over false claims, FG warns