The Nigerian government has denied the allegation that it engages in religious freedom violations. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said this in a statement on Tuesday, December 9.
He was reacting to the country being blacklisted by the United States, for “engaging in systematic, ongoing, egregious religious freedom violations”. Lai Mohammed described the allegation as a case of honest disagreement between the two nations on the causes of violence in Nigeria.
”Nigeria does not engage in religious freedom violation, neither does it have a policy of religious persecution. Victims of insecurity and terrorism in the country are adherents of Christianity, Islam and other religions,” he said. The minister said the country “jealously protects religious freedom as enshrined in the country’s constitution and takes seriously any infringements in this regard”.