Elder statesman Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, who recently marked his 100th birthday, firmly rejected allegations that Nigerian Christians are being targeted in a “genocide,” emphasizing that Christians and Muslims have coexisted harmoniously for many generations. The centenarian accused certain foreign media organizations of intentionally “inflaming religious tensions” and criticized former United States President Donald Trump for suggesting that Christians were facing targeting. He stated that a few Nigerians with connections to the U.S. provided Trump with inaccurate information. Yakasai explained, “I don’t agree there is Christian genocide. Some Christians close to the United States of America took advantage of their closeness to Donald Trump.” He insisted that both religious groups have always lived side-by-side, stressing, “Christians and Muslims have been living in peace with one another; we are brothers and sisters.” He further pointed out that families with members of mixed faiths existed in the Middle Belt long before the period of colonial rule, noting, “In every home, we have Christians and Muslims living together in peace.” Yakasai also characterized Trump as “an opportunist,” asserting that the President was misguided by individuals who were “seeking relevance.” Regarding the issue of insecurity, Yakasai acknowledged that the problem impacts the entire country but is most severe in the North. He expressed support for the creation of zonal police commands as a way to enhance security responsiveness but opposed the establishment of state police, arguing they could be susceptible to manipulation. He stated, “There was a move at one time that there should be the establishment of a zonal police… the number of the police force is not enough to cover the whole country,” and added, “State police are subject to manipulation by individuals and political interests.” Concerning politics, Yakasai predicted that President Bola Tinubu will seek re-election in 2027 and is likely to win. He commented, “President Tinubu will seek a second term and is most likely to win because he has the resources to back his ambition.” Finally, he observed that every nation faces its own set of challenges, concluding, “Any country has its problems… wherever you have people, you have problems.”
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