Nigeria’s First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has pushed back against international claims that Christians face systematic persecution in Nigeria, describing such concerns as “propaganda,” while welcoming renewed U.S. attention to religious freedom as a chance to deepen bilateral ties and address insecurity.
Speaking in an interview with The Hill on Tuesday in Washington, Tinubu—an ordained assistant pastor in a Pentecostal church—said Nigeria’s security challenges are often misunderstood abroad. She nonetheless described U.S. interest in protecting Christians, particularly under President Donald Trump, as a form of “divine intervention” that could elevate engagement with Nigeria.
“Divine in the sense that, who would have even noticed Nigeria?” Tinubu said, adding that the attention offers an opportunity to better explain the country’s efforts to confront violence and build stability.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has faced years of insecurity linked to Islamist insurgency in the northeast, banditry and kidnappings in the northwest, and communal violence in the Middle Belt. Attacks have affected both Christian and Muslim communities, and international groups have debated whether violence is religiously targeted or driven by broader security failures.
Tinubu argued that stronger international cooperation—rather than what she described as incomplete narratives—could help Nigeria combat terrorism and improve security. The interview took place during her visit to Washington.
