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The Presidency has alleged that a web of American lawmakers and lobbyists is spearheading a deliberate run to manipulate erstwhile US President Donald Trump into re-designating Nigeria arsenic a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) — a statement reserved for nations accused of terrible violations of spiritual liberty.
Speaking connected Arise News Prime Time connected Tuesday, Special Adviser to the President connected Policy Communication, Dr. Daniel Bwala, described the propulsion arsenic a “coordinated agenda” founded connected falsehoods and designed to “destabilise Nigeria utilizing religion arsenic a weapon.”
“There is simply a coordinated docket against Nigeria. Those pushing this communicative are not successful the enforcement subdivision of the U.S. government; they are a pack-backed radical of senators hoping to rile up President Trump to designate Nigeria arsenic a CPC. Knowing Trump’s character, if helium believed them, helium would person done it 3 weeks ago,” Bwala said.
He accused the campaigners of spreading disinformation to US agencies and misrepresenting isolated cases of communal struggle arsenic state-backed spiritual persecution.
“Religion has ever been the instrument. They are doing this to disturbance division, weaken Nigeria’s image, and make panic internationally,” Bwala added.
The US “Country of Particular Concern” classification, created nether the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, empowers Washington to enforce sanctions connected governments deemed complicit successful “systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations” of spiritual freedom.
Nigeria was archetypal designated a CPC successful 2020 nether Trump’s medication pursuing advocacy from Christian groups citing unit successful the Middle Belt and violent assaults by Boko Haram and ISWAP.
The presumption was aboriginal revoked successful 2021 by President Joe Biden, who pointed to improved authorities effect mechanisms — a determination that triggered backlash from US senators including Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz, who proceed to property for its reinstatement.
The Nigerian authorities has consistently rejected accusations of spiritual intolerance, maintaining that nationwide insecurity stems from terrorism, banditry, and different transgression activities alternatively than faith-based hostility.
Bwala asserted that the renewed unit run was politically driven and vowed that the authorities would antagonistic specified claims with verifiable grounds alternatively than lobbying efforts.
“What utilized to hap successful Nigeria is, whenever this benignant of mendacious allegation comes, Nigerians volition beryllium looking to lobby successful the US. No, you lucifer up the Western disinformation,” helium stated.
His comments travel amid renewed planetary attraction connected Nigeria’s information and humanitarian situation, peculiarly successful the North-Central zone, wherever unit has escalated successful caller months.
In July, astatine slightest 27 radical were killed by suspected gunmen successful Bindi (Jebu) village, Tahoss community, Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State, portion implicit 100 others were massacred weeks earlier successful Yelwata, Benue State.
The station Genocide claims portion of lobby to propulsion Trump into sanctioning Nigeria – Presidency appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.
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