Former Kaduna Senator Shehu Sani has dismissed the United States decision, under President Donald Trump’s administration, to place Nigeria on the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged religious persecution. According to him, the move is based on misinformation and does not reflect Nigeria’s reality.

In a post on X, Sani argued that terrorist and bandit attacks in Nigeria affect victims from all religious backgrounds. He insisted that violence in the country is not aimed at any particular faith group, stressing that Christians and Muslims have both suffered heavily from insecurity over the years. He said records from the last decade clearly show that criminals do not target people based on religion.

Sani further explained that Nigeria’s religious makeup makes organized persecution impossible. He compared the situation to “a lion and tiger” — meaning both major religions hold strong numbers — and dismissed the idea of one faith dominating or oppressing the other. He said this is not a case of “lion and zebra,” where one side would be easily overpowered.

The former lawmaker accused those who influenced the CPC designation of spreading division for personal or political gain. He said the narrative was pushed by people he described as “apprentices of neocolonialism,” who want to benefit from sowing discord among Nigerians. He condemned what he called false propaganda against the country.

Sani concluded by stating that Nigeria needs international support to fight terrorism, not condemnation or labels that worsen tensions. He expressed hope that negative forces trying to divide the country would not succeed, emphasizing unity and global cooperation as the way forward.