The Federal Government has strongly refuted recent allegations by some international platforms and online commentators suggesting that terrorist groups in Nigeria are carrying out a systematic genocide against Christians.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described the claims as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive,” stressing that Nigeria’s security challenges should not be mischaracterised as a religious war.
“Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality,” Idris said. “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 minister highlighted recent military gains, noting that between May 2023 and February 2025, over 13,500 terrorists and criminals were neutralised and nearly 10,000 hostages rescued. He also cited last month’s capture of top leaders of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, as evidence of the government’s determination to defeat terrorism.
Idris stressed that Nigeria is a multi-religious state where both Islam and Christianity thrive, pointing out that the country is home to one of the world’s largest Muslim populations as well as some of the biggest Pentecostal and Anglican congregations globally. “Christianity is neither endangered nor marginalised in Nigeria,” he said, noting that the current heads of both the Armed Forces and the Police are Christians.
The minister added that the government has successfully prosecuted seven batches of Boko Haram suspects, securing over 700 convictions, with the eighth round of trials underway.
Highlighting Nigeria’s global recognition in interfaith peacebuilding, Idris recalled that in March 2025, the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize was awarded to Nigerian clerics Rev. Dr. James Movel Wuye and Imam Dr. Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa for their decades-long work in promoting trust and tolerance across faiths.
He urged the international media and commentators to avoid sensationalism and divisive rhetoric, and instead support Nigeria’s efforts to combat terrorism and strengthen peaceful coexistence.
“The Nigerian story is not one of religious genocide,” Idris said. “It is a story of resilience, diversity, and a globally acknowledged commitment to peaceful coexistence.”
