By Ademola Adekusibe
September 28, 2025
Abuja — The Federal Government has dismissed allegations of genocide against Christians in Nigeria, describing them as misleading and unfounded.
In a statement issued by the Acting Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the government maintained that while Nigeria is grappling with serious security challenges, there is no evidence of deliberate targeting of any religious group.
Ebienfa cautioned against what he called the spread of misinformation designed to portray the violence as religious persecution. He warned that such narratives were being pushed to influence foreign governments, particularly the United States, to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged religious rights violations.
Also commenting, former Interior Minister Abdulrahman Dambazau said regions most affected by insecurity are largely Muslim-populated areas, stressing that victims cut across all religious groups. He noted that framing the violence as a campaign against Christians misrepresents the reality of Nigeria’s security crisis.
The government reiterated its commitment to protecting religious freedom as guaranteed in the constitution and assured that all citizens, irrespective of faith, ethnicity or gender, are entitled to equal protection under the law.
It further urged the media, civil society organisations and international observers to verify facts before drawing conclusions, warning that unverified or sensational reports could fuel division and undermine national unity.
