The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has come out firmly in support of Nigeria following allegations of religious persecution made by the United States. The regional bloc rejected the claims, stressing that terrorist violence in West Africa affects all communities indiscriminately.
In a statement issued Tuesday, ECOWAS reaffirmed its confidence in Abuja’s efforts to combat insecurity, while warning of the expanding threat posed by extremist groups across the region.
The response follows comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused the Nigerian government of failing to stop what he described as a “Christian genocide.” Francis Boniface has more in this report.
