There’s no religious persecution in Nigeria – FG tells international community

The Federal Government has said there is nothing like persecution of Christians by Muslims in Nigeria and those spreading the falsehood are doing so for selfish interest.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who gave the admonition on Wednesday in London said those engaging in the act were doing so to demarket the country globally.

He admonished desperate politicians and political leaders with vested interest to desist from spreading falsehood of religious persecution in Nigeria.

The minister is in London to engage with international media organisations and other think tanks.

“We are aware that some people are demarketing the country and there is no length they have not gone to do this.

“But the honest true is that there is nothing like religious persecution in Nigeria. There is no State in Nigeria that has Muslims without Christians.

“We must be very careful not to demarket our country  simply because we have not been able to get what we want,” he said.

The minister fingered desperate politicians of being behind the falsehood noting that the effect could be dire for the entire country.

“We know what some people did at the run up to the last general election to ensure that this administration did not succeed.

“Since we won the election, we have called on everybody to come together to support this administration. Any attempt to demarket this country will have dire consequences on everybody; whether you are. Christian or  Muslim”.

“It is important for everyone to know that this country will continue to exist, even  after 2023. Spreading falsehood will not be in our interest and we all know that religion is a very sensitive issue in Nigeria”.

The minister also called on the world leaders not to withdraw their support to the country in the fight against terrorism based on the falsehood and any other reasons.

“We cannot be left to ourselves, It took the whole world to flush out terrorists from Syria and we need that kind of thing  in fighting Boko Haram in Nigeria”.

“If you noticed, the entire Sahel is unstable today; Burkina Fasso, Chad, Mali Cameroon and Niger. This is not the time for the international community to withdraw its support. Terrorism is a global issue  and we all have a common destiny”.

The minister stressed that if terrorism is allowed to thrive in any region or part of the world, it would affect every part of the world. (NAN)