LAI Mohammed, the minister of information and culture has faulted the inclusion of Nigeria in the United States religious freedom blacklist.
Mohammed in a statement on Tuesday in reaction to the blacklist argued that Nigeria does not have a policy of religious persecution.
“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,’’ said Mohammed.
According to Mohammed, Nigeria jealously protects religious freedom as enshrined in the country’s constitution and takes seriously any infringements in such regard.
The ICIR had reported that the US, again, named Nigeria as one of the Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) under its International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 guilty of tolerating religious persecution.
Nigeria was named among other countries including, Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, among others.
“No country or entity should be allowed to persecute people with impunity because of their beliefs. These annual designations show that when religious freedom is attacked, we will act,” said Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State.
Notwithstanding, in some parts of Nigeria, there have been several cases of religious intolerance most especially between Christians and Muslims resulting in killings, burning of churches and mosques.
Lukman Abolade is an Investigative reporter with The ICIR. Reach out to him via labolade@icirnigeria.org, on twitter @AboladeLAA and FB @Correction94