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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has dismissed claims of genocide against any religious group in the region, arguing that such labels are aimed at distorting cohesion in the bloc.
ECOWAS, in a communique on Tuesday, said the claims are targeted at worsening insecurity in the West African region.
ECOWAS’ reaction is coming after the United States classified Nigeria as a country of particular concern, following allegations of killings of Christians.
In post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday, President Trump said that he asked the Pentagon to map out a possible plan of attack in Nigeria, one day after warning that Christianity was “facing an existential threat” in Africa’s most populous country.
In his post, Trump said that if Nigeria does not stem the killings, the United States will attack and “it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians.”
On Sunday, President Trump reiterated his threat of possible military operations in Nigeria over the alleged killings of Christians.
But ECOWAS said “Perpetrators of this violence target innocent civilians of all religious denominations including Muslims, Christians, and adherents to other religions.”
”As independent reports have confirmed over the years, terrorist-related violence does not discriminate on the basis of gender, religion, ethnicity or age,” the regional bloc wrote in the communique posted on its X handle.
“ECOWAS calls on the United Nations and all partners to support Member States in their fight against these groups and to treat as false any claims that these terrorist groups target one group, or that there is a genocide of one religious group in the region.
”ECOWAS strongly rejects these false and dangerous claims that seek to deepen insecurity in communities and weaken social cohesion in the region.
“ECOWAS calls on the whole world to stand by the countries in the region in their fight against terrorism that targets all communities.”