President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dismissed claims of a targeted campaign against Christians in Nigeria, insisting that citizens of all faiths remain united.
Speaking on Tuesday at the inauguration of projects and the launch of Governor Hope Uzodimma’s book in Imo State, the president described allegations of religious persecution as false and divisive:
“They lie all over the place that we have religious persecution. Our Muslim brothers and sisters, our Christian brothers and sisters are united. No religious persecution in Nigeria; it is a lie from the pit of hell,” he said.
Tinubu’s remarks follow comments by American comedian and political commentator Bill Maher, who accused Nigeria of waging a silent genocide against Christians. Maher alleged that over 100,000 Christians have been killed since 2009, with 18,000 churches destroyed, largely by Islamist insurgents such as Boko Haram. He argued that the international media has failed to adequately report the scale of the killings.
In response, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, rejected Maher’s claims, stressing that Nigeria’s security problems should not be misrepresented as a religious war. According to him, the narrative is “a gross misrepresentation of reality.”
Supporting this position, former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani explained that bandits and terrorists in Nigeria target victims indiscriminately. In a post on X, he wrote:
“Bandits and terrorists in Nigeria don’t discriminate between Muslims and Christians in their murderous acts. They attack churches and mosques alike, killing pastors, priests, imams, and worshippers. Their kidnapping and rape victims cut across all faiths and ethnic groups.”
Sani added that given the states where terrorists frequently operate, most victims are actually Muslims.
The debate highlights ongoing international concern over Nigeria’s security crisis, even as government officials emphasize unity and reject claims of religiously motivated genocide.
