Daniel Bwala refuted claims by the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee asserting that Christians face persecution in Nigeria. He highlighted the Tinubu administration’s commitment to religious tolerance, stating there have been few instances of persecution since May 2023. Bwala criticized the accuracy of the U.S. report and reinforced Nigeria’s stance that violence results from terrorism and communal issues, rather than religious intolerance.
The Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, Daniel Bwala, has rejected assertions made by the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa regarding the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. In a statement issued on Friday, Bwala affirmed that the Tinubu administration fosters religious tolerance and reported negligible occurrences of Christian persecution since taking office on May 29, 2023.
Bwala emphasized on his social media post that, “The administration of President Bola Tinubu promotes religious tolerance,” and noted that there have been “little or no cases at all of persecution of Christians anywhere in the country.”
In addition to his rebuttal, Bwala questioned the context and accuracy of the U.S. congressional report. He stated, “While we are in no way admitting or authenticating the report of the U.S. Foreign Relations Committee, it is noteworthy to state that the committee’s report falls short of context and timelines.” He reaffirmed President Tinubu’s dedication to peace and religious tolerance in Nigeria.
The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa recently endorsed a recommendation for sanctions against Nigeria, following a congressional hearing where lawmakers scrutinized the Nigerian government’s failure to protect Christian communities from escalating violence. During the hearings, Committee Chairman Chris Smith referred to a report stating that Nigeria constituted 90% of all Christians killed worldwide annually between 2019 and 2023.
According to this report, 55,910 individuals were killed, and 21,000 abducted by terrorist groups operating in Nigeria. The report included testimony from Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, who shared firsthand accounts of violence targeting Christian communities. Bwala’s stance highlights the Nigerian government’s firm rebuttal of such claims, asserting that violence within the country is predominantly due to terrorism and inter-communal conflict, rather than religious motives.
The Tinubu administration has consistently maintained that it is taking robust measures to enhance national security and promote religious harmony, while it continues to assert its ongoing commitment to ensuring safety and coexistence for all religious groups within Nigeria.
In summary, Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has strongly dismissed allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria made by a U.S. congressional committee. He asserted that the Tinubu administration advocates for religious tolerance and reported minimal instances of persecution since May 2023. Nigeria’s government contends that violence is attributed to terrorism and banditry rather than religious strife, and remains committed to ensuring the safety of all religious communities.
Original Source: tribuneonlineng.com
