The Nigerian government has denied the claim that there is a systematic genocide against Christians in the country.
The denial followed a claim brought by a United States senator, Ted Cruz, seeking the sanctioning of Nigerian officials for allegedly facilitating genocide against Nigerian Christians.
Cruz, a Republican senator from Texas, in the bill titled “Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025,” introduced in the Senate on September 9 called for the designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)” for alleged violation of religious freedom.
Other top American politicians and political commentators have expressed similar views.
For instance, Riley Moore, a member of the US House of Representatives, tagged Nigeria the deadliest country in the world for Christians.
Mr Moore, also a Republican, in a post on X, said he had written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding that the US use every diplomatic tool to stop what he described as the “slaughter of Christians.”
Besides, there have been reports in some international media platforms suggesting Christians in Nigeria are the targets of attacks by terrorists, most of whom are Muslims.
Some major terrorist groups operating in Nigeria include Boko Haram, ISWAP, Lakurawa, and ANSARU.
CPC
CPC is a designation given by the US Secretary of State to a country that engages in or tolerates “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” violations of religious freedom, according to the International Religious Freedom (IRFA) of 1998.
The severe violations may include torture, prolonged detention, forced
Disappearances or flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or security of persons. The designation is an important foreign policy tool that can lead to diplomatic and economic consequences.
Nigeria was included in the “Countries of Particular Concern (CPC)” list for the first time in 2019 after an indictment by the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
“Religious freedom conditions in Nigeria trended negatively in 2018. The Nigerian government at the national and state levels continued to tolerate violence and discrimination on the basis of religion or belief, and suppressed the freedom to manifest religion or belief,” the Commission’s report said at the time.
Again, in December 2020, Nigeria, alongside nine other countries, was designated as a CPC for committing violations of religious freedom.
The other countries are Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, the DPRK, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
In a statement on December 7, the then U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said the countries had been re-designated for the second time as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, as amended.
Nigeria was, however, removed from the list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) on November 17, 2021, a day before the then Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, arrived in the country on a visit. He was on a tour of some African countries. The exclusion provoked outrage among some Nigerians.
On June 29, 2022, five American senators, including the current Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, asked the country’s government to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to the declining state of religious freedom in the country.
They made the demand in a memo to Blinken.
The other senators, all Republican, are Josh Hawley (Missouri), Mike Braun (Indiana), Tom Cotton (Arkansas), and James Inhofe (Oklahoma).
Abuja speaks
In a statement on Sunday, September 28, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, strongly condemned the allegation of Christian genocide, describing it as false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.
He said portraying the nation’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality.
Mr Idris explained that the violent activities of terrorist groups are not confined to any particular religious or ethnic community.
“The federal government strongly condemns and categorically refutes recent allegations by certain international platforms and online influencers suggesting that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians. Such claims are false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.
“Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality. While Nigeria, like many countries, has faced security challenges, including acts of terrorism perpetrated by criminals, couching the situation as a deliberate, systematic attack on Christians is inaccurate and harmful. It oversimplifies a complex, multifaceted security environment and plays into the hands of terrorists and criminals who seek to divide Nigerians along religious or ethnic lines.
“The violent activities of terrorist groups are not confined to any particular religious or ethnic community. These criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith. Muslims, Christians, and even those who do not identify with any religion have suffered at their hand,” the statement said.
Read the full statement
Press Statement
FG REFUTES FALSE CLAIMS OF RELIGIOUS GENOCIDE IN NIGERIA
The federal government strongly condemns and categorically refutes recent allegations by certain international platforms and online influencers suggesting that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians. Such claims are false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.
Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality. While Nigeria, like many countries, has faced security challenges, including acts of terrorism perpetrated by criminals, couching the situation as a deliberate, systematic attack on Christians is inaccurate and harmful. It oversimplifies a complex, multifaceted security environment and plays into the hands of terrorists and criminals who seek to divide Nigerians along religious or ethnic lines.
The violent activities of terrorist groups are not confined to any particular religious or ethnic community. These criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith. Muslims, Christians, and even those who do not identify with any religion have suffered at their hands.
The federal government remains unwavering in its commitment to completely degrade terrorist groups and secure the lives and property of all citizens, and this resolve is already yielding results. Between May 2023 and February 2025 alone, over 13,543 terrorists and criminals were neutralised and nearly 10,000 hostages rescued in multiple military operations across the country.
Only last month, the top leadership of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan – commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, was captured in a well-coordinated counter-terrorism operation. They are: Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), the self-styled Emir of ANSARU; and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), Abu Bara’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and Deputy.
These feats underscore the determination and success of our security forces and expose as unfounded the notion that Nigeria is passively tolerating religiously motivated terrorism.
The federal government is steadfast in its duty to protect every Nigerian, regardless of ethnic or religious identity. It continues to work with international partners to address the global threat of terrorism.
The Nigerian Armed Forces and Police have demonstrated their commitment to accountability by conducting several court martials and prosecutions to hold their officials accountable for any misconduct. This effort underscores the importance of discipline and adherence to the rule of law within our security agencies.
Nigeria is a multi-religious state with large populations of both Christians and Muslims. We are home to one of the largest Muslim communities in the world, alongside some of the biggest Pentecostal churches and the largest Anglican congregation globally. Christianity is neither endangered nor marginalised in Nigeria. It is doubtful that foreign interlopers into Nigerian affairs are aware that the current heads of both the Armed Forces and the Police Force are Christians—a fact that underscores the inclusivity of our national leadership.
In the fight against terrorism, Nigeria has made significant strides in prosecuting Boko Haram suspects. To date, we have successfully prosecuted seven batches of suspects, securing over 700 convictions. We are currently moving into our eighth prosecution cycle, further demonstrating our resolve to tackle terrorism and its sponsors.
Under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, our administration remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding justice and enhancing security. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that those who threaten our nation’s peace and stability are brought to justice.
The Nigerian story is not one of religious genocide or persecution. Rather, it is a story of resilience, diversity, and a globally acknowledged commitment to peaceful coexistence. In March of this year, the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize was awarded to two Nigerian religious leaders, Rev. Dr James Movel Wuye and Imam Dr Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa, co-founders of the Interfaith Mediation Centre. Their decades-long work to promote trust and tolerance across faiths now serves as a model for peacebuilding in all 56 Commonwealth countries. This means that Nigeria is not only exporting culture and music to the world—we are also exporting proven frameworks for interfaith harmony.
We urge the international media and other commentators to act with responsibility and have respect for facts. All stakeholders are advised to avoid ignorance, sensationalism, and divisive rhetoric and instead support Nigeria’s ongoing efforts in the fight against terrorism and all forms of criminality.
Mohammed Idris, FNIPR
Honourable Minister of Information and National Orientation.
September 28, 2025