A former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo, has reacted to recent comments by United States President Donald Trump regarding religious freedom in Nigeria.
He maintained that the country remains a place where citizens of different faiths coexist peacefully despite security challenges affecting some regions.
Tompolo described the remarks credited to Trump as unfair and not a true reflection of the Nigerian reality. He said the issues of insecurity and unrest in some parts of the country should not be interpreted as religious persecution. According to him, “Nigeria is one country where Christians and Muslims have lived together for decades without discrimination or religious superiority.”
He stressed that it was wrong for external bodies to make conclusions about Nigeria without proper understanding of the internal dynamics. Tompolo insisted that both Christians and Muslims have suffered casualties from insecurity, and that the situation should not be linked to religious intolerance. He added, “The banditry and insurgency affecting our people has no religious face. Both Muslims and Christians are affected.”
The ex militant leader commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for promoting inclusiveness in governance and ensuring that religious groups have equal access to leadership and national decision making. He noted that the present administration engages leaders from both faiths and has not shown any form of bias that promotes religious division in the country.
Tompolo called on foreign leaders and organisations to be more cautious in making statements capable of causing tension or misrepresentation of facts about Nigeria. He warned that wrong narratives about religious intolerance could embolden individuals who seek to divide the nation along religious or ethnic lines. He advised, instead, that the international community should support peace and unity efforts in Nigeria.
He urged Nigerians to remain united and continue to uphold the culture of mutual respect for all religious beliefs, which he described as one of the country’s greatest strengths. Tompolo expressed confidence that with collective effort, Nigeria would continue to strengthen religious harmony and overcome insecurity challenges affecting some regions.
