Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has accused United States President Donald Trump of misleading the global community with his recent remarks on alleged mass killings of Christians in Nigeria.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Falana dismissed Trump’s statement as “a clear distortion of facts,” but said the allegation should serve as a wake-up call for the Nigerian government to tackle the country’s persistent insecurity.
Trump had claimed that Christianity in Nigeria was facing an “existential threat,” alleging that “radical Islamists” were behind a “mass slaughter” of thousands of Christians. He also directed U.S. lawmakers, including Congressman Riley Moore and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, to launch an investigation into the reported killings.
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Falana, however, insisted that Trump’s comments were untrue and unhelpful, noting that violence in Nigeria affects both Christians and Muslims alike. “The Nigerian government has a constitutional duty to protect every citizen, regardless of faith. It is unacceptable that such attacks continue unchecked,” he said.
The senior advocate urged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to respond with concrete action rather than denials, stressing that insecurity has become a national crisis demanding urgent reform of the country’s policing and intelligence systems.
Falana’s remarks come amid renewed debates over international perception of Nigeria’s human rights and religious freedom record, following Trump’s controversial comments that have sparked outrage and condemnation from several quarters.
