Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has refuted claims made by former U.S. President Donald Trump alleging mass or targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.
In an open letter shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, Keyamo described Trump’s allegations as false and misleading, insisting they do not reflect the realities on the ground in Nigeria.
According to the minister, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration promotes inclusivity, tolerance, and religious balance, and would never support any form of religious persecution.
“I was born and raised as a Christian in Nigeria,” Keyamo wrote. “Because of my strong Christian background and ethical pedigree, it would have been unconscionable for me to serve or continue to serve in a government if truly there is any scintilla of truth in the assertion that Christians are specifically targeted in Nigeria for persecution, killings, or harassment on account of their faith. It is simply not true.”
Keyamo acknowledged that the country faces security challenges caused by extremist and criminal groups such as Boko Haram, herdsmen, and cattle rustlers. However, he maintained that the violence affects citizens of all faiths, not just Christians.
He also highlighted that many of the service chiefs appointed by President Tinubu are Christians, while the President’s wife is a pastor and several of his children are practising Christians.
“President Tinubu will be the last person to either adopt the killing of Christians as state policy or condone such acts or be complicit in them,” he stated.
Keyamo stressed that Nigeria remains a secular state, with a Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion and forbids the adoption of any state religion.
He further noted that even opposition leaders in the country agree there are no targeted attacks on Christians.
The minister, who has a background in human rights advocacy and received the Global Human Rights Award in Washington in 2017, urged Trump and the U.S. government to engage Nigeria through dialogue and cooperation rather than misinformation.
“The Nigerian people ask for deep and sincere understanding, support, and cooperation from your government to confront this decades-old menace of terrorism,” he added.
