US listed Nigeria as religious violator after IPOB lies – Garba Shehu

The Presidency has described the decision of the United States of America (USA) to remove Nigeria from the religious violators’ watch list as a triumph of diplomacy over hate-laced propaganda.

This was expressed in an opinion piece issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Friday, hailing the decision as a result of a fact-finding.

The Presidency further stated that the error of judgement, which it said was allowed by the outgoing Donald Trump administration, was all sponsored by the supposedly proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which it said was funding an international campaign against the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

It, however, pointed out that Nigeria ought not to  have been included on the watch list in the first place because a visit to any part of the country would have revealed that there is religious freedom.

“The removal of Nigeria from the religious violators watch list by the Biden-led US administration in the run-up to the visit of Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of State is a triumph of diplomacy and sagacity over hate-driven foreign policy, itself founded on false propaganda.

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“President Muhammadu Buhari is truly satisfied with the decision by the United States to remove Nigeria from that unwanted list of countries. Blinken said the decision of the Joe Biden government on this was “based on facts.”

“In expressing the country’s appreciation for this, the President noted that there is freedom of worship in Nigeria, and no one is discriminated against on the basis of his or her faith.

“Since Nigeria was included in December 2020, in the aftermath of the Donald Trump’s election loss, it has taken only 11 months for this decision to be reversed under the Biden administration.

“This sad and uncalled for ban came on the heels of 12 months of lies by some extremist groups and the banned terrorist group the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB’s well-funded international media campaign.”