Nigeria has denied the allegation of engaging in systematic and egregious religious freedom violations leveled against it by the United States of America.
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described the allegation as a case of honest disagreement between the two nations on the causes of violence in Nigeria.
“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,” he said in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Assistant on Media.
According to him, ” Nigeria jealously protects religious freedom as enshrined in the country’s constitution and takes seriously any infringements in this regard.’’
The Trump administration had added Nigeria to a list of the world’s worst violators of religious freedom, setting the stage for sanctions.
The State Department had on Monday designated Nigeria for the first time as a Country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for engaging in or tolerating “systematic, ongoing egregious violations of religious freedom.”
Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan were all re-designated as CPCs, the statement department said.
Nations designated as a CPC become punishable by U.S. sanctions, including the suspension of foreign aid, trade restrictions or loan prohibitions though the law allows the executive branch the power to determine which if any restrictions to apply. (Background reports from PSN)
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