“Christians live peacefully in northern Nigeria” – Buhari’s former aide tells US govt

Bashir Ahmad, former aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, has criticised what he described as politically-motivated claims of Christian persecution in northern Nigeria.

Ahmad said it was “sickening” that anyone would travel to the United States to allege that Christians are being persecuted in the region.

He pointed to a recent large Christian gathering in Maiduguri, Borno State, which he said was held peacefully without any disturbances in a city that is 99.9% Muslim.

“Unfortunately, President @realDonaldTrump and some U.S. government officials allowed themselves to be misled by a clearly politically-motivated propaganda,” Ahmad tweeted.

He accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other “agents of distraction” of selling a distorted narrative about the treatment of Christians in northern Nigeria.

“In our region, the reality on the ground is entirely different and far more nuanced than the distorted narratives being sold abroad,” he added.