FG Rejects “Christian Genocide” Claims, Accuses US Lawmakers of Using Faulty Data

The federal government has dismissed allegations of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, contending that some United States lawmakers are basing their claims on inaccurate and misleading data. The statement was made by Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, during a broadcast interview.

Speaking recently Idris described the narrative as “misleading and unreflective” of the country’s multi-faceted security landscape. He emphasised that while Christians have suffered attacks, the violence is not exclusively targeted at one religious group: “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 highlighted that the accusations stem largely from international lawmakers pressing Marco Rubio, the U.S. Secretary of State designate, to take diplomatic measures against Nigeria over what they described as systematic persecution of Christians.

According to a statement released by his media aide, Idris said the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that the country remains committed to upholding human rights, democracy and the rule of law.

He further warned that presenting Nigeria’s security challenges as a simple Christians-versus-Muslims conflict may inadvertently further the agenda of criminals who seek to incite religious tension: “Characterising these attacks as being against Christians alone will drive Nigeria towards unnecessary division.”

While acknowledging the severity of security issues in the country, Idris said the government has doubled its efforts in recent years to strengthen its response — including improved coordination among security agencies, upgraded hardware, and investment in social and agricultural programmes to address root causes of conflict.

In response, religious groups such as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) maintain that Christian communities, especially in northern Nigeria, have faced sustained attacks — though they have stopped short of formally labelling the situation genocide.

As the debate intensifies, analysts caution that mischaracterising the violence could undermine national cohesion and render counter-terrorism efforts less effective.