Claims of targeted k!lling of Christians in Nigeria are false — Festus Keyamo says in open letter to Trump

 Nigerias Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directly refuted claims made by US President Donald Trump alleging mass or targeted k!llings of Christians in Nigeria.In an open letter posted on X on Wednesday, November 5, the Minister insisted that such accusations do not reflect the realities in the country and instead sought Trumps cooperation to confront terror!sm.Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and long-standing human rights lawyer, appealed to Trump to deepen collaboration with Nigeria in the fight against terror!sm rather than rely on what he described as inaccurate external narratives.Keyamo, who noted he was born and raised as a Christian, reminded President Trump of his decades-long activism, including receiving the Global Human Rights Award in Washington in 2017.He strongly pushed back against the international allegations: It is simply not true that Christians are being specifically targeted in Nigeria for persecution, k!llings, or harassment on account of their faith. He added, It would have been unconscionable for me to serve in any government that targets Christians.The Minister explained that the violence Nigeria faces stems from extremist and criminal groups like Boko Haram, armed herdsmen, and cattle rustlers. He stressed that these security challenges predate the current administration and have affected citizens of all religious backgrounds.Keyamo defended the federal governments commitment to religious tolerance and the Nigerian Constitution, stating: "Nigeria is a secular state," which "guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of a state religion."Regarding Government Composition, he highlighted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, despite being Muslim, is widely regarded as a moderate leader with strong ties to the Christian community; his wife is a pastor in a major Pentecostal church, and many of his children are practicing Christians.Furthermore, Keyamo pointed out that many of the Service Chiefs appointed by the President are Christians, arguing it would be illogical to claim they were complicit in any faith-based killings. He concluded by urging Trump and the U.S. government to seek more balanced information on Nigeria and collaborate with the Nigerian government to tackle the long-standing problems of terror!sm and insurgency."We ask that you broaden your sources of information to gain a balanced view of events in Nigeria, he wrote, calling for strengthened bilateral ties and reaffirming Nigerias commitment to peace.   Dear President Trump @realDonaldTrump , I am a lawyer of more than three decades of active practice, most of which was dedicated to activism in promotion and protection of human rights. In 2017, right there in Washington, I was found worthy to be awarded the Global Human Rights Festus Keyamo, SAN, CON, FCIArb (UK) (@fkeyamo) November 5, 2025   The post Claims of targeted k!lling of Christians in Nigeria are false Festus Keyamo says in open letter to Trump appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.