‎Keyamo writes Trump, refutes targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has written an open letter to US President Donald Trump, refuting claims that Christians are being systematically targeted and killed in Nigeria.
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‎The minister’s letter follows Trump’s threat to deploy military forces in Nigeria if the alleged genocide against Christians is not stopped in the country.
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‎In the letter posted on his X handle on Wednesday, Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, cites achievements and his Christian background to dismiss claims of targeted persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
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‎His letter reads, “I am a lawyer of more than three decades of active practice, most of which was dedicated to activism in the promotion and protection of human rights.
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‎“In 2017, right there in Washington, I was found worthy to be awarded the Global Human Rights Award by the United States Global Leadership Council, which had the eminent Dr Reuben Egolf as its Chairman at the time. This was in recognition of my work over the years in the promotion of the rights of the downtrodden people.
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‎“I was appointed by the present President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as his Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, along with other Christians.
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‎“Because of my strong Christian background and ethical pedigree, it would have been most unconscionable for me to associate with – let alone accept to serve or continue to serve – a government if truly there is any scintilla of truth in the assertion that Christians are SPECIFICALLY targeted in Nigeria for persecution, killings, or harassment ON ACCOUNT OF THEIR FAITH. It is simply not true.”
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‎Describing the allegation as “completely untrue,” the Minister stressed that violence in parts of Nigeria is not driven by religion but by criminality and terrorism inherited from past administrations.
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‎He explained that Tinubu’s administration has made significant progress in tackling insecurity caused by Boko Haram, herders, and cattle rustlers, noting that several top security chiefs in the current government are Christians.
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‎“Just like the U.S and many countries in the world, we have faced our own fair share of societal violence; ours has been perpetrated by deadly groups known as Boko Haram (now seriously decimated), herdsmen, and cattle rustlers.
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‎“These decades-old problems were inherited by our President, who has made great progress in the fight against these insurgents.
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‎“In fact, most of the security Chiefs appointed by him are Christians, so it would be unthinkable to imagine them being complicit in the killing of fellow Christians in Nigeria,” he said.
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‎Keyamo also highlighted Tinubu’s record of religious tolerance, recalling his years as governor of Lagos State when he regularly hosted Christian pastors for worship and prayer sessions.
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‎“President Tinubu, though a Muslim, is a known ‘moderate’, whose wife is a Pastor of one of the biggest Pentecostal Churches in Nigeria, and most of his children are practising Christians.
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‎“When he was Governor of Lagos State, he regularly invited Christian Pastors for prayers and worship sessions at the Government House.
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‎“He will be the last person to either adopt the killing of Christians as a State Policy, or condone such acts or be complicit in them,” he said.
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‎The Aviation Minister stressed that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of a state religion, reflecting its status as a secular and multi-faith nation.
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‎According to Keyamo, “The insecurity in some parts of the country over the years has affected adherents of all religions, and this government has never protected one group while ignoring the other.”
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‎The minister urged Trump and the US government to seek balanced and credible information about Nigeria’s internal affairs, rather than relying on partisan or distorted accounts.
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‎“President Trump, the Nigerian people ask for deep and sincere understanding from your government at this point; the Nigerian people ask for support and cooperation from your government at this point to confront this decades-old menace of terrorism; we ask for collaboration; we ask for frank and open dialogue at this time with your government; we ask that you broaden your sources of information at this time to get a balanced view of the happenings in Nigeria,” Keyamo wrote.