Nigeria’s security leadership is set to address the media this afternoon following a controversial post by U.S. President Donald Trump accusing the Nigerian government of allowing genocide against Christians.
The Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed this at the National Joint Security Press Briefing held on Monday in Abuja.
According to Issa-Onilu, the session will provide a comprehensive response to Trump’s allegation and brief the public on current government actions to tackle insecurity nationwide.
“The briefing will provide adequate response to the allegations of genocide and update the media on ongoing efforts by the government to ensure peace and security across the country,” he said.
Trump had, in a post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, accused the Nigerian authorities of failing to protect Christians from persecution and threatened U.S. military intervention.
“If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the USA will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’” Trump declared.
The remarks drew swift condemnation from Nigerian officials and generated heated debate both locally and internationally.
In response, President Bola Tinubu issued a statement reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to democracy, peace, and religious freedom.
Writing on his X handle, Tinubu said: “Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.”
He rejected what he described as “misleading foreign narratives” portraying Nigeria as a country divided along religious lines.
“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality,” the President stressed. “The government remains committed to safeguarding freedom of religion and belief for all Nigerians.”
Reaffirming national unity and coexistence, Tinubu added that religious tolerance “has been a defining part of our national identity and will remain so.”
The forthcoming briefing by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and security chiefs is expected to elaborate on the government’s position and outline measures being taken to ensure peace, stability, and mutual respect among Nigeria’s diverse faith communities.
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