In a statement on Saturday, Tinubu said Nigeria remains a
democracy anchored on constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and
belief.

“Nigeria stands firmly as a democracy governed by
constitutional guarantees of religious liberty,” the president said.

“The characterisation of Nigeria as religiously intolerant
does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the
consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of
religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.”

Trump had on Friday announced via his Truth Social platform
that Nigeria had been redesignated on the US religious freedom watchlist as a
“country of particular concern”.

The move follows growing criticism by some US lawmakers,
American evangelical groups and lobbyists who allege persecution of Christians
in parts of Nigeria.

However, Tinubu described those claims as inaccurate and
unhelpful, adding that his administration has maintained open and active
engagement with leaders of both major religions since assuming office in 2023.

“Since 2023, our administration has maintained an open and
active engagement with Christian and Muslim leaders alike and continues to
address security challenges which affect citizens across faiths and regions,”
he said.

Tinubu said his government continues to invest in security
reforms to protect communities from terrorism and banditry, regardless of
religious affiliation.

He noted that violent groups operating in parts of the
country target both Christians and Muslims, undermining national peace and
unity.

“Religious freedom and tolerance have been core tenets of
our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious
persecution and does not encourage it,” the president said.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to
collaborating with the US and other international partners to deepen
understanding, promote coexistence, and strengthen mechanisms that protect
vulnerable communities.

“Our administration is committed to working with the United
States government and the international community to deepen understanding and
cooperation on protection of communities of all faiths,” Tinubu said.

“Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to
protect citizens of all faiths. Intolerance is not our identity.”

Nigeria was first designated as a “country of particular
concern” by the Trump administration in 2020 but was removed from the list in
2021 by former President Joe Biden.