The Federal Government has dismissed allegations by some United States lawmakers accusing Nigeria of allowing a “Christian genocide,” describing the claims as misleading and based on faulty data.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the clarification during an interview with CNN on Tuesday night, stating that the narrative being promoted by certain foreign officials does not reflect the country’s complex security situation.
In a statement by his media aide, Rabiu Ibrahim, the minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom, human rights, and democracy, stressing that violence in the country is not driven by religion.
“Some of the claims made by US officials are built on wrong assumptions — that victims of insecurity are mostly Christians,” Idris said. “Yes, Christians have been attacked, but so have Muslims. The criminals behind these attacks target everyone, especially in northern Nigeria.”
He cautioned that framing Nigeria’s insecurity as religious persecution could deepen mistrust and fuel division among citizens. “Describing these attacks as anti-Christian only serves the agenda of those trying to cause religious conflict,” he added.
Idris maintained that Nigeria remains a religiously tolerant nation, where people of different faiths coexist peacefully. He also rejected claims that the entire country is unsafe, insisting that the government is actively tackling insecurity.
“Yes, there are challenges, but the government has invested heavily in security, military hardware, and peacebuilding efforts,” the minister noted. “Recent changes in the service chiefs are part of measures to strengthen our response to emerging threats.”
He further highlighted the government’s investments in agriculture and social services as part of non-kinetic strategies aimed at restoring peace and stability.
