According to Channels tv, FCT Minister and former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has strongly reacted to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Concern,” following allegations of religious persecution and the killings of Christians in the country. Speaking during a public engagement, Wike dismissed the characterization as politically motivated and disconnected from Nigeria’s true realities.
“I’m a Christian, my father is a pastor, and my family are all Christians. This is politics taken too far,” Wike said emphatically, noting that the narrative pushed by foreign actors misrepresents Nigeria’s internal dynamics and paints an unfair picture of religious tension. According to him, using religion to define Nigeria’s security challenges is both misleading and dangerous.
Wike stated that while insecurity remains a serious national issue, framing it strictly along Christian persecution lines promotes division and undermines national unity. He stressed that Nigerians of all faiths — Christians, Muslims, and others — have fallen victim to banditry, terrorism, and violence. “Insecurity does not know religion. Criminals do not ask whether you are a Christian or Muslim before they attack. Our problem is not Christianity versus Islam. Our problem is insecurity and leadership challenges,” he asserted.
He cautioned Nigerians against embracing foreign narratives that can inflame religious sentiments and weaken national cohesion. Wike described Trump’s remark as part of broader international political propaganda, where powerful nations sometimes weaponize human rights rhetoric to exert influence or pursue strategic interests.
“America will play its politics, just like every other country does. But we must not allow anybody to divide us along religious lines. Nigeria’s strength is in our diversity. We owe it to our nation to stand together, not fall for foreign labels,” he said.
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