Amid persecution and American Denial Nigerians Express Hope in Donald Trump
By Omolola Pedro and Segun Onibiyo
(Lagos) A new report by the International Christian Concern (ICC) showcases the dire situation of Nigerian Christians suffering daily from Islamist insurgents.
The July 10th report unpacks a staggering death toll of more than 50,000 Christians since 2009, yet the Nigerian government persists in denying the targeted nature of these attacks.
The ICC is a 30-year-old non-profit focusing on global Christian persecution with regular reportage from Nigeria.
The ICC’s comprehensive report forcefully argues for Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) by the U.S. State Department, citing egregious violations of religious freedom. Despite clear evidence of Nigeria’s noncompliance with the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), the US State Department consistently has refused to apply the CPC designation. The designation was applied to Nigeria during the last year of the Trump Administration in 2020.
The report concludes with concrete policy recommendations for Congress and the US State Department, urging immediate action to address the persecution of Nigerian Christians. The ICC implores the US to provide vital aid and support to alleviate the suffering of Nigerian Christians and ensure their safety.
Key Facts:
· Over 50,000 Christians have been killed by extremist groups in Nigeria since 2009.
· The Nigerian government refuses to acknowledge the targeted nature of these attacks.
· The Biden administration has failed to act, despite a legal mandate to promote religious freedom.
· The ICC report documents severe religious freedom violations in Nigeria.
· The ICC calls for the US State Department to designate Nigeria as a CPC.
· The report provides evidence of Nigeria’s violation of legal standards for CPC designation.
· Policy recommendations are outlined for Congress and the US State Department to address the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
Christians in Nigeria lament killings, pray for Trump’s intervention
TruthNigeria spoke with several Nigerian leaders who concurred with the International Christian Concern (ICC) that the situation in Nigeria deteriorated under former US President Barack Obama’s Administration and worsened with the election of Muhammadu Buhari.
These leaders argued that President Barak Obama’s policy toward Nigeria was resurrected by President Joe Biden.
“Obama’s policies hindered Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram. He stopped arms sales, provided counter-insurgency training for the Nigerian military, and prevented Israel from selling attack helicopters to Nigeria,” according to Rev. David Ayuba Azzaman, pastor of a 2,500-member church in Kaduna.
“This emboldened the Islamists to attack Christians in the North Central and North West regions,” Azzaman told TruthNigeria.
“Obama’s actions led to the downfall of former President Goodluck Jonathan and paved the way for Muhammad Buhari’s election, which further exacerbated the situation for Christians in Nigeria,” Azzaman went on to say.
He noted that killings of Christians continued with huge and massive killings by terrorists speaking the Fulani language in the Northwest and Northcentral states, while Christianity in northern states was virtually wiped out until former US President Donald Trump stepped in.
Rev. Azzaman revealed that the Nigerian government, under President Buhari’s leadership, failed to prevent the massacre of Christians in various states, including Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, and Southern Kaduna. He alleged that foreign Fulanis were allowed to take over the lands of the affected communities.
During a White House meeting in 2018, President Trump addressed the issue, stating, “We have had very serious problems with Christians who are being murdered in Nigeria. We are going to work on that problem very, very hard, because we cannot allow that to happen,” according to Azzaman
“Since then, Buhari has become a little bit more cautious. We believe that if Trump were in power, he would have taken measures to stop the Fulani killings,” the Kaduna-based preacher (Azzaman) said.
Rev. Kallamu Ali Dikwa, Director General of the Centre for Justice on Religious and Ethnic Groups in Nigeria, expressed his admiration for President Trump’s policies towards Nigeria. “I vividly remember how President Trump reversed the negative policies of his predecessors, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and decided to sell arms to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram terrorists,” he said.
“He also included a clause that the Super Tucano jets sold to Nigeria should not be used against Niger Delta militants, Biafra separatists, or, to a large extent, Christians.”
Rev. Dikwa told TruthNigeria. “In my opinion, Trump was the best president to have happened to Nigeria.”
“President Trump symbolizes American values that align with those of Nigeria’s significant Christian population. Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital resonated with Nigerian Christians, who saw it as a bold move,” according to Pastor Sunday Oladipo (PhD) of Supernatural Domination Bible Ministry International in Kaduna, speaking to TruthNigeria.
“During his presidency, the Trump administration’s sale of weapons to Nigeria was viewed as a sign of support for the country’s fight against terrorism. This move was widely appreciated by Nigerians, who saw it as evidence of Trump’s willingness to support African nations,” Oladipo told TruthNigeria.
Hoping for a Trump Victory
As the United States prepares to vote for its next president, many of the 100 million Nigerian Christians hope that Donald Trump will be elected as the next US president, according to Azzaman.
“Though we heard about the attempts to assassinate Trump, we also know that God has a purpose for Trump, so he won’t die. That purpose is for the liberation of Nigerian Christians,” Rev. Azzaman said.
“As long as Trump survives the attempts to kill him, we know that there is hope for Nigeria. Once Trump becomes president, the constant killings of Christians in Nigeria, the indifference of the US government, and the denial of the Nigerian government will come to an end,” Dikwa said.
Omolola Pedro and Segun Onibiyo report on politics and current news for TruthNigeria.
