The Federal Government has condemned and refuted the allegations being made by some foreign media outlets and influencers on social media that terrorists in Nigeria are committing genocide against Christians. The government described such claims as "false, baseless, despicable, and divisive."
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said: "Portraying Nigeria's security challenges as a religiously motivated war specifically targeting one faith is incorrect and unfair."
He added: "While Nigeria, like other nations, faces security challenges, including terrorism perpetrated by criminals, interpreting this as a specific attack on Christians is untrue and counterproductive.
"This oversimplifies a highly complex situation and aids terrorists and other criminals in dividing Nigerians along religious or ethnic lines."
Idris said: "Acts of terrorism are not confined to any single religious or ethnic community. These evil elements attack anyone who refuses to subscribe to their murderous ideology, be they Muslim, Christian, or even non-believers. All are suffering at their hands."
He indicated that the Federal Government is fully committed to crushing terrorist groups and protecting the lives and properties of all citizens, and the results of this are already being seen.
He said: "Between May 2023 and February 2024 alone, over 13,543 terrorists and criminals have been neutralized and nearly 10,000 people rescued from their clutches across the country. Just last month, top leaders of the ANSARU group, an Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist organization, were captured in a major counter-terrorism operation. They include Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara'a/Abbas/Mukhtar), who claims the title of Sarkin ANSARU (Leader of ANSARU), and Mahmud al-Nijeri (aka Malam Mamuda), who was his deputy."
The Minister said these victories are proof of the security agencies' resilience and expose the fallacy of claims that Nigeria is experiencing religiously-motivated terrorism.
He further stated: "The Federal Government has been relentless in its work to protect every Nigerian, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. The Nigerian Military and the Nigeria Police Force are also conducting court martials and trials to sanction officers who break the law. This demonstrates the importance of accountability and rule of law within the security agencies."
He emphasized that Nigeria is a multi-religious nation, home to some of the world's largest Muslim and Christian communities. "Christianity is not endangered nor discriminated against in Nigeria," he said.
He also pointed out: "Do these foreign interlopers know that the current heads of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force are both Christians? This fact alone shows how inclusive our leadership is."
Regarding the fight against terrorism, the Minister revealed that some Boko Haram members have been successfully prosecuted: "So far, seven batches of suspects have been successfully prosecuted, resulting in over 700 convictions. We are now entering the eighth phase of the trials, demonstrating our resolve to combat terrorism and its perpetrators."
According to him, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, the government will continue its efforts to ensure justice and enhance security.
"Nigeria's story is not one of religious genocide. It is the story of a resilient, diverse, and determined nation which the world has witnessed."
He recalled that in March of last year, the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize was awarded to two Nigerian religious leaders—Pastor James Movel Wuye and Imam Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa—for their work in building trust and unity between Muslims and Christians.
He said: "This signifies that Nigeria is not only exporting culture and music to the world, but also a proven, unique model of interfaith peace."
Finally, he called on international media and commentators to avoid ignorance and inflammatory rhetoric through divisive statements. "Instead, they should support Nigeria's ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and all forms of crime," he said.