By Ismaila Jimoh, Abuja
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has never been found to be engaging in anything that has told do with religious extremism since he started his political career.
Wike stated this on Politics Tonight on Channel Television while reacting to the allegations made by the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump over Christian genocide in Nigeria, describing it as “politics taken too far. “
He said there was no basis for insinuations that President Bola Tinubu administration was not showing necessary concern to the killing of Christains in some parts of the country.
While buttressing his points Wike said: “The Inspector General of Police is a Christian, the Director-General of State Security is a Christian. Today, the Chief of Defence is a Christian; the former Chief of Defence is a Christian. The Secretary to the Government is a Christian. Now tell me, how can any right-thinking person sit in government that will support the killing of our own people? That’s why I said it is politics taken too far,” Wike said.
The minister said it’s impossible for Tinubu to condone or support any form of religious persecution.
“Not this President — whose wife is a senior pastor — will shut his eyes and will not do anything, that a particular religion is being eliminated. Certainly not,” he stated.
Wike emphasised that the federal government had invested heavily in combating terrorism and safeguarding citizens, regardless of their faith.
“In fact, as I speak to you, I don’t know any government that has spent more resources in taming terrorism than this government,” he said.
He added that terrorism in Nigeria had affected everyone, not just one religious group.
“Terrorists are killing Christians, terrorists are killing Muslims, terrorists are killing non-believers. Nobody would be happy over the death of anybody, whether a Christian or a Muslim. No right-thinking leader would say, ‘I’m happy that people are dying,” Wike said.
The minister also defended President Tinubu’s record on religious tolerance, recalling that his own support for the President during the 2023 elections was based on Tinubu’s inclusive character.
“One of the reasons some of us supported him, when people raised the issue of a Muslim-Muslim ticket, was because we knew the kind of person he is. He is not an extremist. That’s why he was able to say, ‘I’m marrying a Christian,” Wike said.
