The former Deputy Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States, Ambassador Hassan Mohammed, also faulted Trump’s threat.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Monday night, Mohammed said while the United States had the legal authority to pressure countries failing to uphold freedom of religion under its 1998 International Freedom of Religious Act, the law didn’t grant the US the right to declare war or carry out military action over such matters.
“In 1998, a law came up in the United States — that’s the International Freedom of Religions Act, IFRA. That act provides the United States the right to pressure any country that is not doing the right thing in terms of religion, religious worship, and religious practices.
“What is worrying in the pronouncements so far is the fact that President Trump threatened to punish Nigeria in terms of war or strikes, or invasion. This has never happened before,” Mohammed said.
The former envoy recalled that Nigeria had previously been listed under the Act in 2001 and 2002, but noted that the issue was resolved amicably through dialogue.
He noted that the IFRA intended to promote fairness and accountability in how nations handled religious matters, not to justify threats of war.”
“The provision is that they want you to come clean, to make sure you are fair to everybody. And once you fail, they will put some pressure on you, on your country to perform.”
