A prominent US congressman on Sunday branded Nigerian President Bola Tinubu’s rejection of religious intolerance claims as “completely false,” accusing him of shielding his political interests while turning a blind eye to the “complicity” of leaders in the deaths of Christians amid a surge of blasphemy-related executions.
West Virginia Republican Riley Moore, in a Fox News interview, decried Nigeria’s blasphemy laws that carry the death penalty for insulting Islam, spotlighting the case of Adamawa farmer Sunday Jackson — a Christian sentenced to death for defending himself against a Fulani militant — as stark proof of systemic bias.
“Tinubu’s denial is completely false,” Moore charged, asserting the president’s statements serve only to “protect his interests.” He further alleged that Nigerian authorities, including Tinubu, are “complicit” in the killings, pointing to northern states where such laws prevail.
Moore’s outburst follows Tinubu’s recent pushback against US President Donald Trump’s threats to cut aid over alleged “Christian genocide,” with the Nigerian leader insisting the violence stems from banditry, not faith-based targeting.
