President Bola Tinubu declared on Friday there is no genocide against any religious group in Nigeria.
Tinubu stated this when he declared open the Nasrul-Lahi-l-Fatih Society (NASFAT) 8th Biennial Conference and Annual General Meeting in Abuja.
The President, who was represented at the event by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, said what the country had was terrorism, driven by criminality and extremism.
He said the Federal Government was working tirelessly to overcome the security challenges.
The United States President, Donald Trump, had in November, declared Nigeria as a ‘country of “particular concern” in response to allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
Tinubu said: “In recent times, the Federal Government and other persons of goodwill, had to address unfounded allegations.
“The allegations are not only false, but harmful, and capable of inflaming passions and disrupting the sustenance of the peaceful coexistence which we continue to build as a nation.
“Nigeria’s response was clear, firm, and measured. We reaffirmed that our nation does not foster or tolerate policies or actions aimed at persecuting any religious group.”
According to him, security challenges are rooted in historical, economic and criminal issues, not religious issues.
“Muslims and Christians alike have been victims of terrorism in Nigeria. Muslims and Christians alike stand shoulder to shoulder in condemning violence from any quarter.
“As President, I reiterate with all sense of responsibility and fidelity to the constitution that there is no Christian genocide in Nigeria, and there is no Muslim genocide in Nigeria.
“What we have is terrorism driven by criminality, extremism, challenges we are working tirelessly to overcome,” the President stated.
Tinubu said the government would continue to promote firm national unity, religious freedom, and security of every human life.
“We must, therefore, reject narratives that seek to divide us, whether they come from within or outside our borders.
“We must neither allow internal or external forces to sow discord or feed dangerous stereotypes about our beloved nation,” he concluded.