Nigeria’s Minister for Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has firmly rejected assertions from U.S. President Donald Trump that accuse the nation of widespread or deliberate murders of Christians within its borders.
Through an open letter shared on X during Wednesday, November 5, the Minister maintained that these kinds of charges fail to capture the true conditions on the ground in the nation and, in their place, requested Trump’s partnership in addressing terr0r!sm.
As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and a veteran human rights attorney, Keyamo urged Trump to enhance joint efforts with Nigeria in combating terr0r!sm instead of depending on those he labeled as misguided stories from outside sources.
Keyamo, who mentioned that he was born and brought up as a Christian, called to President Trump’s attention his many years of advocacy work, such as being honored with the Global Human Rights Award in Washington back in 2017.
He forcefully countered the global claims: “It is simply not true that Christians are being specifically targeted in Nigeria for pers3cution, k!llings, or har@ssment on account of their faith.” He further stated, “It would have been unconscionable for me to serve in any government that targets Christians.”
The Minister clarified that the aggression Nigeria is dealing with originates from radical and outlaw organizations such as Boko Haram, @rmed herdsmen, and cattle rustlers. He emphasized that these threats to security existed before the present government took office and have impacted people across every faith affiliation.
Keyamo upheld the central government’s dedication to promoting religious harmony and adherence to the Nigerian Constitution, declaring: “Nigeria is a secular state,” which “guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of a state religion.”
In terms of the makeup of the Government, he underscored that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, even though he is Muslim, is generally viewed as a temperate figure with deep connections to the Christian population; his spouse serves as a pastor in a prominent Pentecostal congregation, and a significant number of his offspring actively follow Christianity.
In addition, Keyamo observed that a substantial portion of the Service Chiefs selected by the President are themselves Christians, contending that it would make no sense to suggest they were involved in any killings motivated by religious beliefs. He wrapped up by encouraging Trump along with the U.S. administration to pursue more even-handed details about Nigeria and to work alongside the Nigerian authorities in handling the persistent issues of terr0r!sm and rebellion.
“We ask that you broaden your sources of information to gain a balanced view of events in Nigeria,” he wrote, advocating for more robust diplomatic relations between the two countries and restating Nigeria’s resolve to foster peace.
A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.
Nnamdi Okoli