Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar says Nigeria’s constitution protects against religious persecution after claim by US President Donald Trump.The Nigerian government has dismissed claims made by US President Donald Trump about the persecution of Christians in the West African nation, insisting that religious freedom is fully protected under the country’s constitution.Responding to a reporter’s question at a news conference in Berlin on Tuesday, Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar held up a document whose cover read “Nigeria’s Constitutional Commitment to Religious Freedom and Rule of Law”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list“All the answers are in there. This is what guides us,” Tuggar said, speaking alongside Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. “It’s impossible for there to be religious persecution that can be supported in any way, shape or form by the government of Nigeria at any level.”Tuggar’s comments come after Trump wrote on social media on Saturday that if the Nigerian government “continues to allow the killing of Christians”, the US would stop all aid to the country. Trump added that he had instructed the so-called Department of War “to prepare for possible action”.And on Sunday, Trump doubled down, saying Washington could deploy troops or conduct air strikes. “They are killing a record number of Christians in Nigeria,” he said. “We are not gonna allow that to happen.”The threats came after the US president had redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern – a label the US government gives to countries seen as responsible for severe violations of religious freedom.T …
