The Senior Advisor to former United States President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, has rejected claims that Nigeria is witnessing targeted persecution of Christians.
Speaking with journalists in Rome after meeting with President Bola Tinubu, Boulos said terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians.
His remarks came after US Senator Ted Cruz alleged that the Nigerian government was ignoring mass killings of Christians. Cruz claimed that about 50,000 Christians had been murdered since 2009, and thousands of churches and schools destroyed, and proposed sanctions on Nigerian officials he accused of complicity.
Boulos, however, described such narratives as inaccurate and divisive. “Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe,” he said. “People of all religions and tribes are dying as a result of terrorist acts. Boko Haram and ISIS are killing more Muslims than Christians. This is not specifically targeted at one group or another.”
He acknowledged the Tinubu administration’s recent measures to tackle insecurity and manage farmer-herder conflicts in the North-Central region, noting visible improvements. “We appreciate those measures and look forward to more of them,” he said.
Boulos praised Nigeria as a model of peaceful coexistence between Christians and Muslims, calling it a “melting pot” where both faiths have lived side by side for generations.
He reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen unity, defeat terrorism, and sustain peace nationwide.
