Boko Haram, ISIS Have Killed More Muslims Than Christians – Trump Adviser

Massad Boulos, Senior Adviser to former U.S. President Donald Trump on Arab and African Affairs, has stated that extremist groups such as Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians in Nigeria.

Speaking in a video interview shared by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) on X (formerly Twitter) on Friday, Boulos rejected claims by some U.S. politicians that Christians were being systematically targeted in Nigeria, describing such allegations as “inaccurate and misleading.”

“Any incident, any loss of life is absolutely unfortunate,” Boulos said. “Those who know the terrain well know that terrorism has no colour, no religion, and no tribe. People of all faiths and ethnicities have suffered. In fact, Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians.”

Boulos emphasized that insecurity in Nigeria is complex and not rooted in religion. He acknowledged that clashes between herders and farmers have occurred, particularly in the Middle Belt, but maintained that these were driven by competition over land and resources—not religious animosity.

“There are incidents involving farmers and herders, yes, but it’s wrong to generalize them as religious attacks. Many of these farmers happen to be Christian, and some herders are Muslim, but the conflict is not about faith,” he explained.

The adviser commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for strengthening security efforts in conflict-prone areas, noting that recent government measures were beginning to yield results.

“The Tinubu administration has taken additional steps and deployed more resources to affected regions. We’ve seen some improvement in recent weeks, and we hope to see more progress,” he said.

Boulos also praised Nigeria’s tradition of religious coexistence, urging citizens to view diversity as a strength.

“Nigeria has long been home to Muslims and Christians living side by side. The country’s population is nearly evenly split between the two faiths, and this balance has always been a foundation of peace and unity,” he added.

His comments come amid renewed debate in Washington, where some U.S. lawmakers are calling for Nigeria to be redesignated as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution.

Senator Ted Cruz recently accused Nigerian officials of “ignoring or enabling the mass murder of Christians by Islamist extremists.” He has introduced the *Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act*, seeking sanctions against officials allegedly complicit in such attacks.

Similarly, Congressman Riley Moore of West Virginia urged U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reinstate Nigeria’s designation and suspend arms sales to the country until it demonstrates a stronger commitment to protecting Christian communities.

Nigeria was previously listed as a “Country of Particular Concern” in 2020 under the Trump administration but was removed from the list by President Joe Biden in 2021—a move that drew criticism from several conservative advocacy groups.