Following the recent designation of Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern (CPC) and the threat of military invasion by the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, a lawyer, Sean Nelson, has listed the steps the country should take to redeem itself.
Nelson, a legal counsel for global religious freedom at the ADF International, while speaking at the CPAC’s Ending Christian Persecution Summit on Tuesday, said it is important for the Nigerian government to quit denying allegations of Christian genocides across the states of the country.
He also urged the government to ensure that the activities of the Islamic terrorists in regions of the country are tackled squarely.
Nelson said, “The first is to say it, to say what is happening, to say that the denials are wrong, to say that there is religious persecution, to say that disproportionate targeting of Christians that is happening. A Christian is more likely to be killed in Nigeria than a Muslim by five, six or seven times, when you look at the population. The Middle Belt is the area where the persecution is most happening and that’s where most denials are.
“So we need more people, we need to have more of the administration speaking out and saying those denials from the government are entirely wrong.
According to Nelson, the designation of Nigeria as a CPC is vital, as it would put the needed pressure on the Nigerian government, which he believes values its economic and international relations with the US, among other things.
Here are the five key things the Nigerian government is expected to do:
1. Stop the denials of the killings of Christians by Islamic terrorists in Nigeria
2. Target not just Boko Haram/ISWAP, but the Fulani militants killing and destroying homes in the Middle Belt.
3. End the culture of impunity.
4. Return the Internally Displaced Persons to their homes.
5. Repeal the blasphemy laws in 12 Northern states of the country (Zamfara, Kano, Sokoto, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kebbi, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger, and Gombe)