You Misunderstands South East Violence – Soludo Fires Back at Trump
Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has refuted claims by U.S. President Donald Trump alleging a “religious genocide” against Christians in Nigeria’s South East region, insisting that the ongoing violence has no connection to religion.
Speaking during a live media chat on Channels Television, Soludo emphasized that the insecurity plaguing the region is rooted in internal issues rather than religious persecution.
“There is a deeper conversation and introspection about what goes on in this part of the world — eastern Nigeria — and it is not religious,” Soludo said. “People are killing themselves — Christians killing Christians. The people in the bushes are Emmanuel, Peter, and John, all Christian names, and they have maimed and killed thousands of our youths. It has nothing to do with religion.”
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The governor’s remarks came in response to Trump’s recent statement threatening possible U.S. military intervention to “protect Christians in Nigeria,” after accusing the Nigerian government of tolerating attacks against Christians.
Soludo, however, dismissed the allegation, stressing that the South East is predominantly Christian and that much of the violence originates from within the same faith community.
“In this part of the country, we are about 95 percent Christians, and those carrying out attacks also bear Christian names,” he said. “The issue goes beyond the categorisation of Christians and Muslims. Nigeria will overcome, and the solution lies in dialogue and reconciliation.”
He urged both local and international actors to avoid framing the crisis through a religious lens, calling instead for a focus on its deeper political, social, and economic roots.
Soludo’s comments come amid heightened diplomatic tension following Trump’s warning and the ensuing debate over alleged religious persecution in Nigeria.
By PRNigeria
