Oluwatosin Enesi
The Nigerian government has pleaded with the United States of America to shield the resolution by its House of Representatives seeking to designate Nigeria as a country of concern over allegations of religious intolerance.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, made the appeal on Wednesday when President Bola Tinubu received a delegation from the United States Congress led by Senator Cory Booker at the State House in Abuja.
The US House of Representatives had reportedly advanced resolution to increase sanctions on Nigeria over the persecution of Christians in the country.
This is as Nigeria has been recognised for years by religious-rights groups as one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a Christian.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced the resolution to increase sanctions and pressure on the Nigerian government over the rampant persecution of Christians and other minorities in the country.
Sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., the resolution would call on the Joe Biden administration to designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern” (CPC), a designation that comes with additional sanctions.
During the US Congressional delegation meeting with President Tinubu, Tuggar drew the attention of the delegation to the resolution of the U.S. House.
In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, Tuggar urged the US delegation to appeal “to them (the House),” saying, “Nigeria has a constitution that pays critical attention to the rights of all citizens.”
He said, “There is no government that will support anything inimical to the provisions of the constitution.”
Responding, U.S. Congresswoman, Sara Jacobs, said the broad consensus in the U.S. House of Representatives and in the White House is to not place Nigeria back on the list of countries of concern.
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