Senator Acknowledges U.S. Remarks on Nigeria

On Tuesday, Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu from Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Party (APC) recognized that President Donald Trump “spoke the truth” regarding the genocide of Christians in Nigeria. He urged those angered by Trump’s comments to redirect their outrage towards addressing the issue.

Kalu reiterated sentiments expressed by President Bola Tinubu and others, noting that Christians aren’t the sole victims of genocide and mass displacement in Nigeria. He labeled the attackers as “jihadis” intent on “destroying Nigeria,” which contrasts with the Tinubu government’s view that “insecurity” attributed to “climate change” is to blame for the violence.

The senator’s remarks came after Trump’s denunciation of Nigeria’s failure to combat religious persecution led to widespread dismissal of the idea that systematic violence against Christians is taking place. Last week, Tinubu outright rejected claims of “religious intolerance” and genocide in Nigeria, and the country’s leading Islamic organization refuted allegations of violence by Muslims against Christians.

“If it’s a lie, it’s not a lie because he’s telling the truth,” Kalu remarked, as reported by a Nigerian newspaper, alluding to Trump’s statements. “Nigerians, whether Christian or Muslim, are being killed.”

Kalu emphasized that “there are jihadists who just want to destroy Nigeria,” insisting on the need to “ruthlessly blacklist and eliminate them.”

Expressing pro-American sentiments, Kalu mentioned that U.S. support had been crucial in identifying jihadism in Nigeria even prior to Trump’s designation of the Chinese Communist Party.

“Before President Trump said anything, U.S. intelligence agencies must have located the terrorists,” he commented to reporters. “It appears the Nigerian Air Force is utilizing intelligence shared by the United States to target terrorist hideouts. That’s how it should be.” He added that Nigerians support these actions, dismissing fears that the U.S. is aiming at Tinubu’s government instead of focusing on jihadists.

In a similar vein, Pastor John Joseph Hayabu, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), responded to Trump’s remarks by calling for constructive dialogue over indignation. “Donald Trump’s statement should be viewed as a chance for dialogue, not as an act of anger,” he noted, expressing happiness that many initially enraged are now considering it an opportunity.

On October 31, Trump announced Nigeria’s return to the Country of Special Concern (CPC) list due to the genocide of Christians by groups like the Middle Belt Fulani jihadists and Boko Haram.

“Christianity is facing an existential crisis in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being murdered. Radical Islam is responsible for this genocide,” Trump stated on Truth Social. “The United States cannot just stand by and watch these atrocities unfold in Nigeria and many other countries. We are prepared to support Christians globally!”

The following day, Trump warned that if Tinubu failed to protect Christians, he could “fire” U.S. troops into Nigeria. Tinubu quickly denied that religious persecution was happening in the country.

“The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect the reality of our nation,” Tinubu asserted, adding that it overlooks the government’s ongoing efforts to safeguard religious freedom for all Nigerians.

Tinubu’s team indicated that he would discuss the issue directly with Trump soon, though no meeting had been confirmed by the White House at the time.

Nigeria’s Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) controversially claimed that allegations of Christian genocide were fabricated, asserting that they were part of a campaign led by far-right and pro-Israel groups to divert attention from issues in Gaza.

“The so-called genocide narrative is driven by lobbyists attempting to distract the world from real issues and to punish Nigeria,” the NSCIA director claimed, accusing them of disseminating doctored materials.

However, experts on Christian persecution have detailed a systematic campaign against predominantly Christian communities in Nigeria’s central region. “Evidence of targeted violence against Christians in Nigeria is well-documented,” Ryan Braun, CEO of the Christian rights organization Open Doors, shared. “Recently, ISIS-linked groups have sent a clear message: convert or perish. In the last year alone, a significant portion of the Christians killed for their faith worldwide occurred in Nigeria.” Braun pointed to an average of eight violent attacks per day in the country, especially in states like Benue and Plateau.