Tony Perkins Shuts Door on Nigeria's First Lady: "No Platform for Cover-Up of Christian Genocide"

 Tony Perkins Shuts Door on Nigeria's First Lady: "No Platform for Cover-Up of Christian Genocide" In a candid exchange on his...

 Tony Perkins Shuts Door on Nigeria's First Lady: "No Platform for Cover-Up of Christian Genocide"

In a candid exchange on his radio program Washington Watch, conservative commentator and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins revealed he turned down an interview request from Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during her recent visit to the U.S. capital. Perkins cited the Nigerian government's alleged "culture of denial" regarding escalating violence against Christians as the reason for his refusal, framing it as a refusal to provide a platform for what he described as a "massive cover-up."

The disclosure came during a February 4 episode of Washington Watch, where Perkins hosted U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a longtime advocate for global religious freedom. The discussion centered on a recent House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing titled "Defending Religious Freedom Worldwide," which spotlighted hotspots of persecution, including Nigeria. Smith, who chairs the Congressional Task Force to Stop Antisemitism and has led multiple hearings on international religious liberty, painted a grim picture of the situation in West Africa.

Nigeria has long been a focal point for concerns over religious violence, particularly against its Christian minority in the northern and central regions. According to advocacy groups like Open Doors and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the country ranks among the top 10 nations where Christians face extreme persecution. Reports document thousands of deaths annually from attacks by Islamist militants such as Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen, including church burnings, kidnappings, and massacres in villages.

Smith, drawing from his decades of oversight, accused the Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu of systematically downplaying these atrocities. "You have a government in Nigeria that practices denial a culture of denial. No, nothing to see here," Smith stated on the program. He highlighted the hiring of a major Washington, D.C., lobbying firm by Nigerian officials to counter narratives of genocide, as well as dismissive rhetoric from high-level figures. In one pointed anecdote, Smith recounted a confrontation with Nigeria's Attorney General, who labeled a prominent bishop a witness at Smith's prior hearings as a "liar" during a recent delegation meeting that stretched nearly two hours.

Perkins echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the human toll: "Churches are being firebombed, people are being killed in cold blood abductions, which is very big there in Nigeria of Christians especially." He contrasted this with superficial gestures from Nigerian leaders, such as claims of personal faith affiliations Nigeria's First Lady is herself a Christian to deflect criticism.

The Platform Denial: A Stand on Principle

The episode's most revealing moment came when Perkins addressed Tinubu's outreach directly. During her Washington visit earlier that week, aimed at bolstering bilateral ties and addressing economic concerns, her team approached Washington Watch for airtime to discuss religious freedom. Perkins was unequivocal in his response.

"The First Lady was here. She was here this week, and in fact, they wanted to come on the program to... talk about religious freedom," Perkins said. "And I said, I'm not going to give them, I'll meet with, I'm happy to meet with anybody here, but I'm not going to give them a platform to cover up what they're doing in Nigeria. That's just what it is. A massive cover-up."

This decision underscores a growing frustration among U.S. religious conservatives and lawmakers with Nigeria's handling of the crisis. Perkins, a prominent voice in evangelical circles, has previously called for sanctions against Nigerian officials complicit in the violence. Smith, for his part, urged Congress to designate Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" under USCIRF guidelines, a step that could trigger travel bans and aid restrictions.

The Nigerian government has vehemently denied allegations of state-sponsored genocide, with Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar dismissing them as "misleading" and politically motivated. Officials point to Tinubu's own Christian faith and interfaith initiatives as evidence of commitment to tolerance, while attributing much of the violence to criminal banditry rather than religious extremism. However, critics like Smith argue that such responses evade accountability, allowing impunity to fester.

As global attention turns to religious freedom ahead of upcoming congressional sessions, Perkins' bold refusal may galvanize a renewed push to confront what he and Smith describe not as isolated incidents, but a systematic erasure of Nigeria's Christian communities. Whether it prompts meaningful change or further diplomatic friction remains to be seen.

Family Writers Press International.