Nigeria has been re-designated as “country of particular concern” by the U.S.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo released a statement on the 8th of December in which he stated that “The United States is designating Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, the DPRK, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, as amended, for engaging in or tolerating ‘systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.’”
The US used the violence against Christian and Muslim communities throughout the country in order to make their decision. This violence against Christians may or may not include the violence by Fulani militants throughout the Middle Belt.
Historically, the State Department has classified the Middle Belt violence as “inter communal conflict.” They have typically avoided placing any religious reasons on the conflict, following the narrative set out by the Nigerian government. This designation however is a good sign that the State Department is willing to understand the religious motivations behind this conflict.
Nigeria has denied all allegations of religious freedom violations. However, Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, released a statement in Abuja on Tuesday where he said that the listing was a difference in opinion between the two nations.
He continued by explaining that “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.”
Source: persecution.org
