Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has reacted to the United States’ decision to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged Christian persecution, insisting that Muslim lives also matter.
Onanuga made the remark on Saturday in response to a post by U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, on X (formerly Twitter), following former President Donald Trump’s announcement citing “the ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians in Nigeria by radical Islamists and Fulani militias.”
Rubio wrote that the killings were “tragic and unacceptable,” adding that “the United States stands ready, willing, and able to act.”
Reacting to the claim, Onanuga dismissed the characterization of Nigeria as a site of religious genocide, describing it as “a gross exaggeration of the Nigerian situation.”
“Secretary Rubio, Muslim lives matter too,” Onanuga replied.
“There is no ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians in Nigeria. What we have are sporadic attacks by terrorists and bandits on villages — attacks that are not religiously targeted. Christians, Muslims, churches, and mosques are attacked randomly.”
He added that what Nigeria needs from the United States is not condemnation but military cooperation and technical support to combat violent extremist groups operating in parts of the country.
“Our country requires America’s support in fighting terrorism — not to be blacklisted as a nation of particular concern,” he stated.
The comments come amid growing diplomatic tension following Trump’s declaration and renewed debate over religious freedom, security policy, and international intervention in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
