The Federal Government has rejected allegations of religious genocide in Nigeria, describing such claims as baseless and divisive. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, emphasized the government’s plans set aside to mitigate the forces of terrorism nationwide.
Minister Idris clarified that the violence experienced in parts of northern Nigeria is not targeted at Christians or any single religious group. He tagged the narrative of a religious genocide “a gross misrepresentation of reality” and pointed out that terrorist groups strike at all Nigerians who oppose their ideology, regardless of faith.
Since May 2023, government security forces have neutralized over 13,500 terrorists and rescued nearly 10,000 hostages across multiple operations, a proactive stance against criminal networks in the country.
One of the recent major counter-terrorism successes involved the capture of top leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), an Al-Qaeda affiliate operating in Nigeria. Idris mentioned that the arrests of Mahmud Muhammad Usman, known as Abu Bara’a, and Mahmud al-Nigeri, his deputy, demonstrate that our forces are not passive to religiously motivated terrorism.
The government further stressed its dedication to accountability by prosecuting security personnel guilty of misconduct, maintaining discipline within the Armed Forces and Police, and securing over 700 convictions of Boko Haram suspects.
Former Presidential aide Reno Omokri also dismissed a U.S. talk show host’s assertion that Christians are being deliberately targeted in Nigeria, labeling it as inaccurate and harmful to national unity.
The Federal Government so far has reiterated its pledge to continue working with international partners to degrade terrorist networks and ensure the safety of all Nigerians.
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