The Presidency has said that President Bola Tinubu will meet with his United States counterpart, Donald Trump, in the coming days to discuss allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, disclosed this in a post on X on Saturday, following Trump’s recent comments accusing the Nigerian government of ignoring attacks on Christians.
Bwala said the planned meeting would focus on counterterrorism cooperation and clarifying misconceptions about the nature of terrorist attacks 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 authorising the sale of arms, and President Tinubu has adequately utilised 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, warning that the United States could suspend aid to the country over alleged persecution of Christians.
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.
In a statement on October 6, Moore urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take immediate diplomatic action and called for Nigeria’s redesignation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and for the suspension of arms sales until the Nigerian government demonstrates a “tangible commitment” to ending the violence.
His statement sparked a lot of debate on the veracity of his claims.
Consequently, on Friday, Trump declared Nigeria a ‘country of particular concern’ in response to allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
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 further said he has asked the Pentagon to map out a possible plan of attack.
“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, however, maintained that both leaders share a firm commitment to tackling insurgency and terrorism and strengthening cooperation in global peace and security.