Massad Boulos, senior adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African affairs, has rejected mounting claims that Christians in Nigeria are facing genocide.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday during a visit to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Boulos addressed concerns raised by U.S. lawmakers urging the White House to designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern (CPC) due to alleged religious persecution.
Despite the pressure, the Biden administration has not issued any official response.
When questioned about the matter during his engagement with Tinubu, Boulos emphasised a broader context to the violence affecting the region.
“Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour and no religion and no tribe,” he said.
He continued, “People of all religions and all tribes are dying as a result of terrorist acts, but it’s very unfortunate,” adding that extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS have also claimed the lives of many Muslims.
“We even know that Boko Haram and ISIS are killing more Muslims than Christians. People are suffering from all sorts of backgrounds. This is not specifically targeted about one group or the other.”
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Acknowledging the broader humanitarian cost, Boulos stressed the need for collective efforts to end the violence. “However, any loss of life is one too many, and we should work together in partnership to put an end to this.”
Addressing the violence in Nigeria’s middle belt, where conflicts between herders and farmers have resulted in numerous deaths, many among Christian communities, Boulos cautioned against attributing the violence to religious motives alone.
“But definitely it’s not something that we can say is specifically targeted about a specific group,” he stated.
He described Nigeria as a diverse nation with a near-equal distribution of Christians and Muslims, warning against framing the conflict as sectarian.
“This has never been a serious religious issue and should not be,” he said.
Boulos also praised recent efforts by the Tinubu administration to combat insecurity, noting some signs of progress.
He affirmed the United States’ continued support for Nigeria’s security initiatives.