Claims of systematic attack on Christians in Nigeria are baseless – FG

The Federal Government has dismissed reports suggesting that terrorists in Nigeria are carrying out a systematic genocide against Christians, describing such allegations as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.”

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, in a statement on Sunday, said portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is misleading and harmful. According to him, while Nigeria has faced acts of terrorism, extremists have attacked citizens of all faiths.

On the positive side, Idris highlighted that security forces have made significant gains, killing 13,543 terrorists and rescuing nearly 10,000 hostages between May 2023 and February 2025. He also noted the recent capture of leaders of Ansaru, the Nigerian branch of al-Qaeda, and the successful prosecution of more than 700 Boko Haram suspects. These, he said, reflect progress in the government’s fight against terrorism.

However, the downsides include the persistent misinformation being spread by some international platforms and commentators, which Idris warned could deepen divisions among Nigerians. He stressed that such narratives oversimplify a complex security environment and risk playing into the hands of criminals who want to divide the country along religious lines.

The minister further rejected the genocide claim, pointing out that Christians face neither endangerment nor marginalisation, noting that the current heads of the armed forces and police are Christians. He also cited the global recognition of Nigeria’s interfaith efforts, including the Commonwealth Peace Prize awarded this year to Rev. James Movel Wuye and Imam Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa.

Idris urged international observers and the media to avoid sensational narratives and instead support Nigeria’s ongoing counterterrorism operations.