President Muhammadu Buhari recalls asking former US President Donald Trump, during their private meeting at the White House, “why are you killing Christians in Nigeria?”
Buhari, who made this announcement on Tuesday, told Trump that the problem in the nation was not religious but rather criminal and that certain people used religion to advance their economic and occasionally political objectives.
The president’s spokeswoman, Femi Adesina, said that at a meeting with Rashad Hussain, the United States ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, on Tuesday in Nouakchott, Mauritania, Buhari talked.
The president of Nigeria stated that constant education was required to prevent the general populous from being duped and that certain persons used the cover of religion to further their political and economic agendas.
The statement said in part, “Recounting his private meeting with former President Donald Trump at the White House, the Nigerian leader recalls Trump asking him: “Why are you killing Christians in Nigeria,” and how he proceeded to tell him that the problem in the country was not religious, but rather criminal, and a use of religion by some elements to further their economic, and sometimes political, interests.
Nigeria has been dealing with this issue for a while, and President Buhari stated it was needless. “Some people use religion as a sentimental tool, but thanks to improved education, people are becoming more savvy about this. Most people simply wish to practice their faith without interference, but other people take advantage of religious misunderstanding to further their own agendas.
“Educated individuals are able to tell when someone is trying to manipulate religion for their own purposes. They do it primarily for financial motives. Additionally, some people utilize a variety of justifications, including religion, when they are incompetent.
“Ambassador Hussain stated that the United States of America is interested in working with Nigeria to promote religious peace through partnerships in the fields of formal and non-formal education.
“We can accomplish a lot as a team to advance peace and racial tolerance.
We appreciate what you are doing, and we would be happy to help you where we can,” he stated.
