Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has cautioned U.S. Senator Ted Cruz against spreading what he described as false claims about the targeting of Christians in Nigeria.
Onanuga’s reaction followed a post on X by Cruz, who accused Nigerian officials of ignoring or enabling attacks on Christians by Islamist extremists. The Republican senator representing Texas also stated that his proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act would impose sanctions and other measures against those responsible.
“It’s time to hold those responsible accountable,” Cruz wrote.
Responding, Onanuga dismissed the claims as “malicious, contrived lies,” insisting that Nigeria is not experiencing a religious war.
“The degraded Boko Haram terrorists operating on the fringes of Nigeria’s Northeast target everyone. They attack farmers, our soldiers. The bandits in the Northwest kill worshippers in their mosques,” Onanuga stated.
“Christians are not targeted. We have religious harmony in our country. Stop these malicious lies,” he added.