The Federal Government has rejected recent reports alleging targeted killings of Christians in the country as alleged by the United States.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the report as part of a misleading campaign aimed at influencing foreign governments to designate the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to violence against Christians.
Spokesperson for the Ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa acknowledged the country’s security challenges but stressed that such incidents are not motivated by religious bias
Credible News reports that the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa authorised President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Nigeria due to the alleged widespread killing of Christians and escalating religious violence within the country.
The approval came after a congressional hearing on Wednesday, where lawmakers expressed frustration over the Nigerian government’s alleged failure to protect Christian communities from the ongoing attacks.
A report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, cited during the hearing, revealed that Nigeria accounted for 90 percent of all Christians killed globally each year.
Between October 2019 and September 2023, over 55,000 people were killed, and an additional 21,000 were abducted by terrorist groups.
The Ministry said that the majority of violence in the predominantly Muslim northern region stems from criminality, insurgency, and banditry, not religious persecution.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to express strong concern over the recent wave of misinformation and misleading reports regarding the supposed targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.
“The unfortunate development is intended to influence foreign governments, especially the United States Government, to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, due to the violence against Christians.
“While the Federal Government acknowledges the security challenges confronting the nation, it is imperative to clarify that these negative activities are not driven by religious bias, nor targeted against any particular religious group.
“It should be noted that the majority of incidents relating to insurgency and banditry that occur in the predominantly Muslim northern part of Nigeria are not targeted at followers of a particular faith or religion. Any narrative that seeks to give such incidents a colouration of religious persecution is erroneous and misleading,” the statement read in part.
The ministry emphasised that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation, and the government remains committed to protecting all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity.
It also highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to combat security threats, including military actions against insurgents and bandits, and efforts to address communal clashes, such as those between farmers and herders.
“The government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has taken significant steps to address these security concerns, including the deployment of security forces, intelligence gathering and community engagement initiatives.
“Indeed, the military has recorded substantial gains in curtailing the activities of bandits and insurgents.
“To bring an end to such security challenges, both the federal and state authorities have embarked on kinetic and non-kinetic methods and expedited the implementation of the national livestock plan,” the statement added.
The ministry urged the international community to verify information before making statements that could cause tension in Nigeria.
It also called on media, civil society organisations, and foreign partners to avoid spreading unverified claims, stressing the importance of national unity and stability.
Nigerians React
The Foundation for Peace Professionals, PeacePro, has called on the Federal Government to reject any moves by the United States Congress calling for the imposition of sanctions on Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians.
The organisation also urged Nigerian religious and political leaders to resist divisive narratives and maintain national unity in the face of external pressure.
The group said the move by the United States Congress was capable of aiding Boko Haram propaganda through its decision to impose sanctions on Nigeria over alleged Christian persecution.
PeacePro, in a statement by its executive director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, in Ilorin, described the move as “reckless and misleading,” warning that it could embolden terrorist groups like Boko Haram by reinforcing their false narrative that the Nigerian government was waging a war on Christians.
In a strongly worded statement, Hamzat argued that Boko Haram and other terrorist organisations had long exploited religious tensions to justify their attacks and recruit followers.
By framing Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious conflict, PeacePro said the US Congress was effectively lending credibility to Boko Haram’s divisive messaging.
“The US Congress’s decision to impose sanctions on Nigeria over misleading claims of Christian persecution plays directly into Boko Haram’s propaganda strategy. This false narrative fuels recruitment and deepens divisions within Nigerian society. The US Congress’s actions are now reinforcing this dangerous lie,” he said.
PeacePro highlighted that over 216,506 people were killed in the United States through homicides and gun violence between 2020 and 2022, more than 400% higher than the 55,910 deaths reported in Nigeria between October 2019 and September 2023.
“Despite this alarming figure, the US Congress has chosen to impose sanctions on Nigeria while ignoring its own domestic crisis of violence and mass shootings.
“This double standard exposes the political nature of the US Congress’s decision.
“If the goal is to address human rights violations and violence, the US Congress should first confront the epidemic of gun violence within its own borders”, the statement read.
Crediblenewsng.com
