Former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has criticised United States President Donald Trump for designating Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians, describing the claim as false and divisive.
In a statement shared on his X handle on Saturday, Sani accused Trump of relying on misinformation spread by “anarchists, lackeys, and apprentices of neocolonialism” seeking to exploit Nigeria’s challenges for personal or political gain.
Trump had on Friday announced via his Truth Social platform that Christianity faced an “existential threat” in Nigeria, alleging that “radical Islamists” were responsible for the “mass slaughter” of Christians and vowing U.S. intervention to “save” victims of such atrocities.
Rejecting the claims, Sani said the designation was based on “outright falsehoods and wholesale misinformation,” stressing that violence in Nigeria was not driven by religion.
“Terrorists and bandits in Nigeria kill and kidnap their victims irrespective of their religious beliefs. The records are self-evident in the last 15 years,” he stated.
The former lawmaker argued that Nigeria’s religious composition made it “technically impossible” for one faith to persecute the other.
“Looking at the Muslim/Christian ratio in Nigeria, it’s technically impossible for one faith to persecute another. Nigeria is a Lion and Tiger situation, not a Lion and Zebra configuration,” he wrote.
Sani maintained that Trump had been misled by foreign actors intent on deepening divisions within the country.
“Trump was misinformed by anarchists, lackeys, and apprentices of neocolonialism who aimed to benefit from their seeds of division, divisiveness, and discontent,” he said.
He urged the international community to assist Nigeria in combating terrorism instead of amplifying distorted narratives.
“Nigeria, like all nations battling terrorism, needs support and assistance to tackle its security challenges,” Sani added.
