United States Senator Ted Cruz has said the Nigerian government is waging a PR campaign to fight accusations of enabling Christian genocide in the country.
The Guardian reported that U.S President Donald Trump recently alleged that Christians are being killed in large numbers in Nigeria by jihadists. He also called on the Nigerian government to put a stop to the trend, or the U.S will be forced to take action.
Trump also designated Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, just as he further threatened to stop aid to the country while alerting the U.S Department of War on possible action in Nigeria against terrorists.
Since Trump’s statement, the Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, has issued multiple statements denying the claim of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
According to top government officials who admitted to terrorism in the country, the attacks by the terrorists are not selective, emphasising that Muslims suffer more at their hands than Christians.
The officials have since been moving from one media house to another to dismiss Trump’s claims. This included a “two weeks of international media engagements” by the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, to sell President Tinubu’s “remarkable strides, commitment and dedication in tackling insecurity and his deft, dignified handling of U.S–Nigeria relations following Donald Trump’s misguided CPC designation.”
Also, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has spent the same period handling diplomatic engagements and even had an interview with Piers Morgan to dismiss claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria.
Reacting, Senator Ted Cruz told Fox News that instead of reversing their policies, including sharia law, the Nigerian government is waging a media campaign, which he intends to stop.
“Nigerian officials know their policies have created an environment in which Christians are being persecuted and slaughtered, including their enforcement of sharia law and their tolerance of Islamist violence. Instead of reversing these policies, they are waging a media campaign to escape exposure and accountability. I intend to prevent them from doing so,” he said.
Cruz had earlier pushed legislation that would enable the punishment of Nigerian officials who implement blasphemy and sharia law in the country.
In a statement, he said, “I am deeply gratified to President Trump for making this determination. I have fought for years to counter the slaughter and persecution of Christians in Nigeria, and this year introduced legislation that will lock in the designation made today. Today’s designation is a critical step in holding accountable and changing the behaviour of Nigerian officials who have facilitated and created an environment conducive to the outrages in Nigeria. My legislation implements additional steps, including targeting those who implement blasphemy and sharia laws in Nigeria, and I am committed to working with the administration and my colleagues to advance my bill and implement these necessary measures. Today’s decision by President Trump is a great one, and I thank him for his strong leadership.”
