United States President Donald Trump had, on Saturday,
instructed the Pentagon to “prepare for action” in Nigeria over alleged killing
of Christians in the country.

He warned that if the Nigerian government failed to end the
alleged killings, the United States would launch strikes that would be “fast,
vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs who attack our cherished
Christians”.

In a statement on Wednesday, Keyamo said  Trump’s comments were based false
information.

The aviation minister said he had been a lawyer for over
three decades and had dedicated most of his career to promoting and defending
human rights.

“In 2017, right there in Washington, I was found worthy to
be awarded the Global Human Rights Award by the United States Global Leadership
Council, which had the eminent Dr Reuben Egolf as its chairman at the time,” he
said.

“This was in recognition of my work over the years in the
promotion of the rights of the downtrodden people. I was also born and raised
as a Christian in Nigeria.”

Keyamo said his faith and commitment to ethical conduct
would have prevented him from serving in any government that targeted
Christians.

“It would have been most unconscionable for me to associate
with – let alone accept to serve or continue to serve – a government if truly
there is any scintilla of truth in the assertion that Christians are
specifically targeted in Nigeria for persecution, killings or harassment on
account of their faith. It is simply not true,” he said.

The aviation minister said Nigeria, like many other
countries, has faced internal security challenges caused by violent groups such
as Boko Haram and armed herders.

“These decades-old problems were inherited by our president
who has made great progress in the fight against these insurgents,” he said.

“In fact, most of the security chiefs appointed by him are
Christians, so it would be unthinkable to imagine them being complicit in the
killing of fellow Christians in Nigeria.”

Keyamo described President Bola Tinubu as a “moderate”
Muslim whose family reflects Nigeria’s religious diversity.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, though a Muslim, is
a known ‘moderate’, whose wife is a pastor of one of the biggest Pentecostal
Churches in Nigeria and most of his children are practising Christians,” he
said.

“When he was governor of Lagos State, he regularly invited
Christian pastors for prayers and worship sessions at the government house.

“He will be the last person to either adopt the killing of
Christians as a state policy, or condone such acts or be complicit in them.”

Keyamo said Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of
religion and bars the adoption of any state religion, reflecting its secular
nature.

“Nigeria is a secular state and our constitution explicitly
provides for freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of a state
religion, reflecting its status as a multi-faith nation,” he said.

‘NO TARGETED KILLING OF CHRISTIANS IN NIGERIA’

Keyamo added that insecurity in parts of the country affects
people of all religions, not just Christians.

“In all honesty, the insecurity in some parts of the country
over the years has impacted adherents of all religions and this government has
not sought to protect one set of adherents and ignore the others,” he said.

The minister said opposition parties in Nigeria, despite
their political differences, also agree that there is no targeted killing of
Christians in the country.

“Ordinarily, opposition politicians will oppose the
government of the day. But on this matter, President Trump, you would have
observed that leaders of the opposition parties in Nigeria are united on one
point: there is no targeted killing of Christians in Nigeria,” he said.

The minister appealed to the US government to support
Nigeria’s efforts to tackle terrorism rather than rely on distorted reports.

“President Trump, the Nigerian people ask for deep and
sincere understanding from your government at this point,” Keyamo said.

“The Nigerian people ask for support and cooperation from
your government at this point to confront this decades-old menace of terrorism.
We ask for collaboration.

“We ask for frank and open dialogue at this time with your
government. We ask that you broaden your sources of information so as to get a
balanced view of the happenings in Nigeria.”