U.S. Lawmaker Slams Tinubu, Says Religious Persecution in Nigeria “Contradicts His Claims”

A United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has taken a swipe at President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing him of downplaying the realities of religious persecution in Nigeria despite mounting evidence to the contrary.

In a strongly worded post on X on Sunday, Moore referenced Tinubu’s repeated insistence that his administration does not tolerate religious discrimination. But the lawmaker argued that the situation on the ground tells a very different story.

Quoting Tinubu directly, Moore wrote: “@officialABAT claims his government opposes religious persecution. But 12 states have Sharia law, and a Christian faces the death penalty for defending his farm from a Muslim Fulani militant who stabbed him repeatedly.”

Moore also shared a video clip from Fox News Sunday, in which anchor Shannon Bream read from Tinubu’s November declaration asserting that Nigeria remains a democracy committed to religious liberty. The President’s earlier message stated:

“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by constitutional guarantees of religious liberty. Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions.”

The exchange has intensified scrutiny on Nigeria’s human-rights record and placed fresh pressure on the Tinubu administration to demonstrate, beyond official statements, that all Nigerians truly enjoy equal protection regardless of faith.