Massad Boulos, a senior adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African affairs, downplayed claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, emphasizing that terrorism does not target any specific religion or ethnicity. Speaking after a meeting with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at the 2025 Aqaba Process Summit in Rome, Boulos said that groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians and that attacks in Nigeria’s North Central region, while resulting in many Christian casualties, are not part of a targeted campaign against any single group.
Boulos called for a unified, holistic approach to combating terrorism and insecurity, highlighting the need for deeper U.S.–Nigeria collaboration to protect civilian lives. He praised recent security initiatives by the Tinubu administration, noting that they are beginning to yield results, and assured continued U.S. support for Nigeria’s counter‑terrorism efforts.
The Aqaba Process Summit, hosted by Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, brings together heads of state, defense ministers, and regional stakeholders from Africa, the Middle East, and Europe to address insecurity across West Africa and the Sahel. The high‑level event focuses on enhancing international security cooperation and fostering collaborative solutions to regional threats.
Boulos’ remarks come after a U.S. lawmaker called for sanctions on Nigeria over alleged Christian persecution and urged the designation of the country as a “Country of Particular Concern.” While acknowledging that any loss of life is unacceptable, Boulos reiterated that cooperation between the United States and Nigeria is essential to ending terrorism and protecting civilians.
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