### Nigeria's Foreign Minister Asserts Constitutional Protections Against Religious Persecution Amid U.S. Military Threats - In a recent press conference held in Berlin, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar firmly rejected claims of state-backed religious persecution in Nigeria, emphasizing the country's constitutional commitment to religious freedom and the rule of law. This statement comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of military intervention due to ongoing violence against Christians by Islamist insurgents in Nigeria. Tuggar highlighted that under Nigeria's laws, any form of state involvement in religious persecution is "impossible" [https://trendsnafrica.com/nigerian-foreign-minister-rules-out-religious-persecution-says-laws-and-constitution-strong-to-prevent-such-eventualities]. ### Breakdown of Nigeria's Stance on Religious Freedom and U.S. Threats 1. **Context of the Statement**: - Tuggar's remarks were made during a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, where he addressed international concerns regarding religious violence in Nigeria [https://theafricanmirror.africa/news/nigeria-rejects-trump-military-threat-says-state-backed-religious-persecution-impossible]. 2. **Response to U.S. Claims**: - The Nigerian government is countering Trump's assertions that the country is failing to protect Christians, stating that such claims do not reflect the reality of Nigeria's legal framework [https://en.tempo.co/read/2063147/nigeria-fm-refutes-trumps-claims]. 3. **Legal Framework**: - Tuggar reiterated that Nigeria's constitution explicitly prohibits religious persecution, reinforcing the idea that the government does not support any form of religious discrimination [https://dailypost.ng/2025/11/04/nigerias-constitution-does-not-tolerate-religious-persecution-foreign-minister-tuggar]. 4. **International Relations**: - The Foreign Minister's statements are part of Nigeria's broader diplomatic efforts to maintain its sovereignty and address international criticisms regarding its internal security issues [https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/3684532-nigerias-religious-freedom-stance-amid-us-military-threats]. ### Supporting Evidence of Nigeria's Constitutional Protections - **Constitutional Guarantees**: - Nigeria's constitution includes provisions that protect the rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, which Tuggar cited as a basis for his claims [https://www.devdiscourse.com/article/politics/3684059-nigerias-constitutional-guard-against-religious-persecution]. - **Government's Position**: - The Nigerian government has consistently maintained that it does not tolerate religious persecution, a stance reiterated by Tuggar in light of external pressures [https://insiderpaper.com/nigeria-constitution-does-not-tolerate-religious-persecution-govt]. - **International Context**: - The backdrop of these statements includes ongoing violence attributed to Islamist groups, which has raised concerns among international observers and prompted responses from foreign leaders [https://en.mehrnews.com/news/238425/Nigeria-rejects-Trump-s-claims]. ### Conclusion: Nigeria's Firm Stance on Religious Freedom 1. **Rejection of Claims**: - Nigeria's Foreign Minister has categorically rejected claims of state-sponsored religious persecution, asserting that such actions are incompatible with the nation's constitutional framework. 2. **Legal Protections**: - The Nigerian constitution provides robust protections against religious discrimination, which the government is committed to uphold. 3. **Diplomatic Implications**: - The Nigerian government aims to address international concerns while asserting its sovereignty and commitment to religious freedom, despite external pressures and threats of military intervention. In summary, Nigeria's response to U.S. claims of religious persecution underscores its constitutional commitment to religious freedom and the rule of law, positioning the country firmly against any notion of state-backed discrimination [https://trendsnafrica.com/nigerian-foreign-minister-rules-out-religious-persecution-says-laws-and-constitution-strong-to-prevent-such-eventualities].