Abuja — The Federal Government has strongly refuted recent allegations by some international platforms and online commentators suggesting that terrorists operating in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the government described the claims as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive,” insisting that they misrepresent the country’s complex security challenges.
According to the Minister, portraying Nigeria’s fight against terrorism as a targeted campaign against a particular religious group oversimplifies the situation and risks fueling division along ethnic and religious lines.
“The violent activities of terrorist groups are not confined to any religious or ethnic community. Muslims, Christians, and even those who do not identify with any faith have suffered at their hands,” Idris said.
Highlighting recent gains in the war against terrorism, the Minister revealed that between May 2023 and February 2025, over 13,500 terrorists and criminals were neutralized, while nearly 10,000 hostages were rescued during military operations nationwide. He also confirmed that the top leadership of ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, was captured last month in a coordinated counter-terrorism operation.
“These feats expose as unfounded the notion that Nigeria is passively tolerating religiously motivated terrorism,” the Minister added.
Idris emphasized Nigeria’s inclusive leadership structure, noting that both Christians and Muslims hold top positions in the Armed Forces and Police. He also underscored Nigeria’s global recognition for interfaith peacebuilding, pointing to the recent Commonwealth Peace Prize awarded to Rev. Dr. James Movel Wuye and Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa for their decades-long work in promoting interfaith dialogue.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment under President Bola Tinubu to safeguarding all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and to ensuring justice through continued prosecutions of Boko Haram and other terrorist suspects.
“The Nigerian story is not one of religious genocide or persecution, but of resilience, diversity, and peaceful coexistence,” Idris stressed. He urged the international media and commentators to act responsibly, avoid sensationalism, and support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
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