Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has rejected claims that Christians in the country are being deliberately targeted, insisting that the nation’s core security challenge remains terrorism, not religious persecution.
His comments follow recent remarks by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who placed Nigeria on a list of nations facing serious religious-freedom concerns and threatened potential military action if attacks against Christians continued.
Trump had warned that America could suspend support to Nigeria and might intervene militarily if the Nigerian government failed to protect Christian communities.
Addressing reporters in Abuja on Monday, General Oluyede dismissed the accusations, saying the armed forces have not identified systematic attacks on Christians. Instead, he stressed that terrorism and general insecurity affect citizens regardless of their faith.
“There is no persecution of Christians in Nigeria. What we are dealing with is terrorism, which has been a longstanding problem,” he stated. “The military is fully engaged and intensifying operations to secure all Nigerians.”
He highlighted recent changes in the country’s security leadership, noting that experienced officers have been appointed to strengthen anti-terrorism strategies.
“With the new leadership adjustments, we are boosting our operations to eliminate terrorist activities across the country,” he added.
General Oluyede also pointed out that terrorism is a global problem and welcomed cooperation from international partners willing to support Nigeria’s security efforts.
“Many countries face similar threats. We are open to support from allies committed to helping us counter terrorism and protect our people,” he said.
