Christian Genocide: Tinubu’s Top Aide Tackles UK Over Silence

A senior aide to Bola Ahmed Tinubu has criticised the United Kingdom for what he described as its silence during recent global debates about alleged religious persecution in Nigeria.

The criticism came from Sunday Dare, who made the remarks in an opinion article published ahead of Tinubu’s forthcoming state visit to the UK – the first by a Nigerian president in 37 years.

In the article, Dare suggested that Britain had at times appeared distant when contentious narratives about Nigeria surfaced in international discussions.

“For too long, London has sometimes appeared a detached observer when contentious narratives about Nigeria surface in global discourse – despite possessing perhaps the deepest institutional understanding of the country among Western partners,” Dare wrote.

He argued that Britain could have played a moderating role during recent international debates surrounding allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria.

He said: “Moments such as the recent international debate around allegations of religious persecution in Nigeria illustrate how a measured and informed voice from the United Kingdom could have helped calm tensions at the time, rather than allow speculation to shape perception.”

President Tinubu is expected to arrive in London this week for the state visit.

During the trip, Tinubu and his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, will attend a state banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.

The president is also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street.

Ahead of the visit, some British lawmakers reportedly urged Prime Minister Starmer to confront Tinubu over concerns about attacks on Christians in Nigeria.

Members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Freedom of Religion or Belief called on the UK government to press Nigeria on religious freedom and human rights issues.

The group’s chairman, Jim Shannon, said Nigeria must take concrete steps to stop the killing of Christians and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

The lawmakers also referenced the case of Leah Sharibu, who was kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2018 and is believed to still be in captivity after reportedly refusing to renounce her Christian faith.

Dare Calls For Diplomatic Reset

Despite the criticism, Dare called for a renewed diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and the UK.

“A renewed partnership should therefore mean something more than trade statistics and diplomatic visits,” he wrote.

He described the visit as one of the most significant diplomatic engagements of Tinubu’s presidency.

“This is the first time a Nigerian leader will be berthing on the banks of the Thames on a state visit in nearly four decades.”

According to him, discussions during the trip are expected to focus on investment, security cooperation, technology partnerships and diaspora engagement.

Dare also noted that bilateral trade between Nigeria and the United Kingdom currently stands at approximately £8 billion.