The Presidency has accused a group of United States lawmakers and lobbyists of launching a coordinated campaign to mislead U.S. President Donald Trump into sanctioning Nigeria under false claims of religious persecution.
Presidential spokesperson, Daniel Bwala, made the allegation on Tuesday during an appearance on Arise News’ Prime Time, where he described the campaign as a “deliberate disinformation strategy” aimed at destabilising Nigeria and tarnishing its international reputation.
“There is a coordinated agenda against Nigeria. Those pushing this narrative are not in the executive branch of the U.S. government; they are a pack-backed group of senators hoping to rile up President Trump to designate Nigeria as a CPC. Knowing Trump’s character, if he believed them, he would have done it three weeks ago,” Bwala said.
The Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation empowers the U.S. government to impose sanctions on countries accused of “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations” of religious freedom.
Nigeria was previously placed on the CPC list in 2020 during Trump’s administration but was removed in 2021 by President Joe Biden.
Bwala accused the lawmakers of manipulating reports of terrorism and communal clashes to portray Nigeria as a country that persecutes Christians.
He said, “Religion has always been the instrument. They are doing this to stir division, weaken Nigeria’s image, and create panic internationally.”
He insisted that the agitation in Washington was politically motivated and did not reflect the realities in Nigeria, stressing that the government would respond with verifiable facts rather than lobby for approval.
“What used to happen in Nigeria is that whenever this kind of false allegation comes, Nigerians will be looking to lobby in the U.S. No, you match up the Western disinformation,” Bwala stated.
The presidency has consistently rejected claims of state-sponsored persecution, maintaining that Nigeria’s security challenges are driven by terrorism, banditry, and criminality, not religious discrimination.
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