FG: US lawmakers relying on faulty data to make Christian genocide claims about Nigeria

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, says some United States lawmakers are relying on inaccurate and misleading data to allege a Christian genocide in Nigeria.

Some US lawmakers had asked Marco Rubio, secretary of state, to take decisive diplomatic action against the Nigerian government over the “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians”.

The federal government has repeatedly denied the claims, saying no religious group is being targeted.

However, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) insisted that Christian communities, especially in northern Nigeria, have suffered severe assaults, loss of lives, and destruction of places of worship.

Speaking during an interview on CNN  on Tuesday night, Idris said such claims fail to reflect the complexity of the country’s security challenges.

The minister noted that Nigeria remains committed to religious freedom, human rights, the rule of law, and democracy.

His remarks were contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Rabiu Ibrahim, his special assistant on media.

Idris said the administration of President Bola Tinubu has renewed its efforts to tackle insecurity and ensure the safety of all citizens.

He noted that freedom of religion is guaranteed under the Nigerian Constitution and must be respected by all.

“Some of the claims made by officials of the United States are based on faulty data and the assumption that victims of violence are largely Christians,” Idris said.

“Yes, there are Christians being attacked, but these criminals do not target one religion — they attack both Christians and Muslims, especially in the northern part of the country.

The minister warned that spreading such claims unknowingly supports criminals whose main aim is to stir religious tension and provoke hostility between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.

‘ATTACKS NOT A RELIGIOUS WAR’

Idris said Nigeria remains a tolerant nation where people of different faiths coexist peacefully.

He warned that framing the insecurity challenge as religious persecution could deepen division and mistrust among citizens.

“Characterising these attacks as being against Christians alone will drive Nigeria towards unnecessary division,” he said.

“The criminals want to portray the situation as a fight between Christians and Muslims. It is wrong to describe Nigeria as a country that does not tolerate religious freedom.

“It is also inaccurate to say that nowhere is safe in Nigeria. Our country is indeed safe.”

The minister admitted that the government faces serious security challenges, but insisted that they are being addressed with renewed vigour.

“Yes, we have security issues in Nigeria, but the government has made massive investments to ensure safety for everyone,” the minister said.

He said Nigeria has battled terrorism and banditry since 2009, but that in the last two years, there has been stronger commitment and better coordination among security agencies.

“In recent years, the government has focused more attention on improving security through better military hardware and strategy,” Idris added.

“We are also investing in agriculture and social services to strengthen non-kinetic approaches to peacebuilding.

“Even the recent changes in service chiefs were made to improve our security architecture and ensure government responds effectively to emerging threats.”