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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Director General of National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, has dismissed claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, arguing that United States of America was misinformed, following the United States’ designation of Nigeria as Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
Issa-Onilu, at the monthly security press briefing yesterday in Abuja, pointed out that the United States had committed “another error in their intelligence gathering.”
Last week, in a post on his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump claimed that the Nigerian government had failed to protect Christians from persecution, warning that the United States would “stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria” and might enter the country “guns a-blazing.”
The United States had first designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern in 2020, under the International Religious Freedom Act.
The designation was later lifted in 2021 under President Joe Biden, following diplomatic engagements between both countries.
But the Director General said the allegations were false to Nigeria, stating that even the US was aware that there was no persecution of Christians in the country.
He said: “Let me speak specifically to some of the import of the tweet. One is to say that the Christian genocide in Nigeria, I’m sure even America knows that is not true. This is not the first time that the intelligence of the United States has failed America.
“It failed them in Iraq. It turned out that there were no weapons of mass destruction, and they apologised. It failed them in Libya and many other instances. So I’m sure this is another error in their intelligence gathering.”
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Also, he pointed out the recent shake-up among Nigeria’s security chiefs was a demonstration of the working of the government to strengthen internal security and address communal and religious violence.
He said: “A country that is not working seriously on the issue of security will not take such drastic steps as the President just took last week, changing the top echelons of the military to ensure that the system is rejigged and empowered to do more.”
Meanwhile, while speaking on recovered funds and the achievements of different security sectors, he said, “the Federal Government is ensuring that every kobo recovered from corruption works for the people—funding education, credit, and health reforms rather than lying idle.
“This reflects Renewed Hope Accountability—turning recovery into public good.
“NAFDAC seized over 70 containers of counterfeit and unsafe goods and shut down illegal warehouses in Lagos and Onitsha.
“NDLEA dismantled 14 drug syndicates, arrested 1,378 suspects, and secured 251 convictions.
“NIS rescued 76 victims of human trafficking and processed 15,000 visa applications under the new digital system.
“FRSC recorded a 12% drop in fatal crashes following intensified “Ember Months” campaigns. NCoS expanded inmate rehabilitation and mental-health outreach nationwide.”
