Nigeria’s security challenges not religious, says Fagbemi after meeting US congressman

Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) and minister of justice, says insecurity in Nigeria is not driven by religious differences, insisting that the government is addressing the challenges through due process and ongoing prosecutions.

Fagbemi spoke in Abuja on Tuesday after holding a meeting with Richard Mills, a United States congressman and the country’s ambassador to Nigeria.

The AGF said the meeting offered Nigeria an opportunity to explain the realities surrounding terrorism and insecurity, noting that while challenges persist, they are often misrepresented.

“This meeting is about the terrorism going on in the country and to afford us the opportunity to explain our own side of the story,” he said.

“I’m happy that they are also here to see things for themselves. And what is important is to also apprise them that even though we have challenges in Nigeria, it is not religious.

“We have security challenges, and the government is doing its utmost to ensure that these challenges are addressed.”

Fagbemi said the ministry has continued to prosecute cases linked to extremism and has made “significant progress” since terrorism trials began.

“For instance, today, as we speak, the terrorism trial is still going on. I have been there today, and I have taken one or two of the cases,” he said.

“And I want to seize this opportunity to let you know that as of today, that is from 2017 to 2025, we have secured 860 convictions and 891 acquittals, that is, discharges.”

He said the acquittals demonstrate that Nigeria is not arbitrarily detaining suspects.

“What this speaks to, particularly the issue of discharges of the defendants, is that we don’t just arrest people and then, you know, clamp them into prison. We follow due process. They are profiled,” he said.

“Those who have nothing to do with it are left off the hook. Those who we believe we have cases against, we take them to court. It is for the court to decide.

“So, whenever the court takes a decision, we comply or abide by the decision, and that is why we have good convictions and acquittals.”

Fagbemi said the US delegation is meeting multiple security and governance institutions during its visit.

“They have visited the office of the national security adviser. They have visited the office of the chief of defence staff and a few other agencies. They have also met with some civil society organisations and religious forces,” he added.

“But I want to tell you that things are not as heinous as people are portraying. I can assure you of that. We have problems in Nigeria. It is not a problem of religion.”

BACKGROUND

On November 1, US President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern (CPC)” over the alleged killing of Christians in the country.

Trump also warned the Nigerian government to curb the alleged attacks, or he would make good his threat to stop all US aid and assistance to the country.

He threatened to unleash the department of war on Nigeria to fight the terrorists “that attack our cherished Christians”.

Prior to Trump’s comments, 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”.

In November, President Bola Tinubu approved the constitution of the Nigerian side of the US-Nigeria joint working group as part of steps to deepen collaboration in tackling security challenges in the country.

The composition of the group was part of the agreement reached during the recent trip to Washington, DC, by a high-level Nigerian delegation led by Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA).