Senior Adviser to United States President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, has dismissed claims of religious persecution in Nigeria, describing such allegations as misguided and inconsistent with the realities on the ground.
Boulos, who met with President Bola Tinubu on the sidelines of the 10th Aqaba Process Summit in Rome, said terrorism in Nigeria was indiscriminate, affecting citizens of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds.
“It is unfortunate that narratives of religious targeting are being promoted despite clear evidence that extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria,” he said.
He said, “Terrorism has no colour, no relation, no tribe. People of all religions and tribes are dying, and it is very unfortunate. Those who know the terrain understand that this is not specifically targeted at one group or the other.”
While condemning every loss of life as “one too many,” Boulos underscored the need for stronger collaboration between Nigeria and the United States to end terrorism and communal conflicts across the country.
He commended President Tinubu’s administration for taking decisive measures to strengthen security, particularly through increased deployment of resources to troubled areas in the Middle Belt. He said the results of these interventions were already visible.
