Nigeria's FM says state-backed persecution impossible under constitution

Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said on Tuesday that state involvement in religious persecution was "impossible" in Nigeria under the country's laws and constitution.

He was responding to a question about U.S. President Donald Trump's warning of possible "fast" military action in Nigeria if it fails to crack down on the killing of Christians.

Speaking in Berlin alongside his German counterpart Johann Wadephul, Tuggar pointed to his country's "constitutional commitment to religious freedom and rule of law."

"This is what shows that there can't be a religious persecution that can be supported in any way, shape or form by the government of Nigeria at any level, be it federal, be it regional, be it local, it's impossible," he said.

Nigeria's population of 220 million is split almost equally between Christians and Muslims.

Nigeria has long faced insecurity from various fronts, including the Boko Haram extremist group, which seeks to establish its radical interpretation of Islamic law and has also targeted Muslims it deems not Muslim enough.