Kawu Faults US Senator Cruz Over Nigeria’s Security Comments, Warns Against Religious Narrative

Senator Suleiman Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila (Kano South) has criticised United States Senator Ted Cruz over his comments on Nigeria’s security situation, warning that portraying the country’s challenges through a religious lens could deepen divisions and undermine ongoing efforts to restore peace.

In a statement issued on Friday, Kawu said Cruz’s position on Nigeria and his reported push to have the country reclassified under the United States’ “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) designation misrepresented the realities of Nigeria’s security crisis.

According to the senator, the decision by the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump to remove Nigeria from the CPC list was based on “verified progress and strategic diplomatic engagement,” adding that renewed calls for the designation were not supported by an objective assessment of the country’s current security situation.

Kawu maintained that Nigeria’s security challenges are complex and affect citizens regardless of religion, stressing that reducing the crisis to a Christian-Muslim conflict distorts the facts and risks aggravating existing tensions.

“By presenting Nigeria’s multifaceted security crisis, which affects Muslims, Christians and adherents of other faiths alike, as a purely religious conflict, Senator Cruz contributes to a distorted international perception of the country.

“This narrative has the potential to inflame tensions, undermine ongoing peace efforts and encourage external policies that may not reflect Nigeria’s actual circumstances,” he said.

The lawmaker urged Christians in Nigeria and across the world to reject narratives capable of promoting religious division, insisting that genuine friends of Nigeria should support peace, reconciliation, sustainable development, interfaith cooperation and respect for the country’s sovereignty.

He noted that members of Nigeria’s security forces, drawn from different religious backgrounds, have continued to work together in the fight against terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping and banditry, while victims of insecurity include worshippers in churches and mosques, as well as residents of markets, schools and rural communities.

According to him, overlooking these shared sacrifices in favour of what he described as a divisive political narrative does a disservice to Nigerians who have borne the brunt of insecurity.

Kawu also reaffirmed Nigeria’s sovereignty, warning against attempts by foreign political actors to exploit the country’s internal challenges for ideological or political purposes.

He called on the international community, diplomatic partners, media organisations and Nigerians of all religious and ethnic backgrounds to reject divisive rhetoric and instead support initiatives that promote peace, national unity, security and sustainable development.