Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has vehemently dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent labeling of Nigeria as a “Country of Concern” over alleged Christian genocide, describing the allegations as baseless and a dangerous escalation of political mischief.
In a fiery interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today aired late Sunday night, Wike, a devout Christian whose father is a pastor, laughed off warnings from associates to avoid the topic.
“Before I came in here, many people texted me, ‘Oh, please don’t speak about Trump,’ and I just laughed. I’m Nigerian, I’m a Christian, my father is a pastor, and my family are all Christians,” Wike said. “This is politics taken too far.”
Trump’s remarks, delivered during a U.S. congressional address last week, accused the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu of complicity in the systematic killing of Christians. He further suggested possible U.S. intervention, including alerts to the Department of War. The statement has sparked global alarm and domestic backlash, with critics describing it as an overreach amid Nigeria’s complex security challenges in Plateau, Benue, and Southern Kaduna.
Wike, who serves in Tinubu’s administration, rejected the claims outright, pointing to the religious diversity among the nation’s security chiefs.
“The Inspector General of Police is a Christian. The Director-General of the State Security Service is a Christian. Today, the Chief of Defence Staff is a Christian. The former Chief of Defence was a Christian,” he emphasized. “We sit in a government that will support the killings of our own people? That’s why I say politics has been taken too far.”
Pushing back against claims of complacency, Wike maintained that the Tinubu administration has committed unprecedented resources to combating terrorism and banditry.
“I don’t know any government that has invested as much in fighting terrorism as this government,” he stated, adding that no leader would ignore the deaths of citizens regardless of religion. “Nobody will be happy over the death of anybody, whether a Christian or a Muslim… Not the president I know.”
When asked whether the opposition was behind the “genocide” narrative to discredit Tinubu ahead of the 2027 elections, Wike was unequivocal.
“It is very obvious, and I have said this,” he replied, drawing parallels to 2015 when similar tactics were allegedly used against then-President Goodluck Jonathan. “The opposition today has seen that no party is ready to challenge Tinubu’s return. Now what do we do? Bring up such things that can divide the country.”
Wike, however, made the claim without providing any evidence to support it.
He called for unity over division, warning against foreign interventions that could destabilize Nigeria like those seen in Somalia, Libya, or Iraq.
“This is the time we need to come together. An invasion of Nigeria is not in the interest of any Nigerian,” he cautioned, while welcoming U.S. cooperation in technology and intelligence sharing to fight terrorism.
In a lighter but pointed exchange, Wike defended his decision to travel with his sons on official trips to the United Arab Emirates, describing it as an educational opportunity.
“They have to know how Nigeria is; they have to learn about government,” he explained, dismissing insinuations of impropriety. “What’s wrong? I can travel with anybody. My children travel with me to learn and see how the world works.”
However, when asked whether those trips were funded with public money, Wike declined to respond.
The interview comes amid broader turmoil within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and ongoing factional clashes at the party’s Abuja headquarters.
Wike, a former PDP governor who supported Tinubu in 2023, described himself as a founding member of the party since 1998, while decrying what he called “impunity” and “undertakers” within the opposition.
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