President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, met with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid growing international pressure following the United States’ renewed designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
The meeting, described as “crucial,” was held in the President’s office at Aso Rock. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, accompanied the Sultan to the meeting, which sources said formed part of Tinubu’s ongoing consultations with religious and traditional leaders across the country.
It came just days after the President held a similar closed-door meeting with the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to manage the fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments accusing Nigeria of religious persecution and human rights violations.
Last week, Trump announced via his Truth Social platform that Nigeria had been redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern,” alleging that “thousands of Christians are being killed” and warning of possible U.S. military action if the killings continue.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria,” Trump wrote. “Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a ‘COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN’ — but that is the least of it.”
The Nigerian government swiftly rejected the designation, insisting that the country’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that insecurity affects both Christian and Muslim communities. Officials maintained that recent attacks stem from terrorism, banditry, and communal conflicts rather than targeted religious persecution.
Meanwhile, Senator Seriake Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, expressed partial support for Trump’s remarks, describing them as “a wake-up call for Nigeria.”
In a statement issued Thursday titled “Alleged Genocide: My Stance on President Trump’s Statement,” Dickson said Nigeria’s sovereignty must be respected but urged greater international collaboration to combat terrorism and restore peace.
“Terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, ISIS, and al-Qaeda have wreaked unimaginable havoc across Nigeria for nearly 15 years,” Dickson stated. “Both Christians and Muslims have suffered — places of worship, palaces, schools, and even children have been attacked. Leah Sharibu and several Chibok girls are still missing.”
As global attention focuses on Nigeria’s human rights record, Tinubu’s consultations with religious figures like the Sultan and Archbishop Kaigama are seen as part of a broader effort to reassure both local and international observers that his administration remains committed to national unity, religious harmony, and inclusive security reforms.
While details of the Friday meeting were not disclosed, presidential aides hinted that more engagements with faith leaders are expected in the coming days as part of the government’s diplomatic response to Washington’s renewed criticism.
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