FG Rejects Christian Genocide Claims, Calls for Accurate Narratives as Trump Threat Looms

The Federal Government has dismissed claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria, calling the allegations false and harmful to the nation’s image.

Speaking in separate engagements, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar and Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris both reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom. Tuggar insisted that his recent interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored should be aired fully and unedited, warning that selective clips risked distorting Nigeria’s reality and fueling misleading narratives about religious persecution.

“I presented a factual and contextual perspective on the allegations, supported by verifiable data,” Tuggar said on X, adding that transparency demanded the full broadcast of his interview. He emphasized that Nigeria’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, making any state-backed discrimination “unthinkable.”

Meanwhile, Idris, speaking at the 5th National Advertising Conference in Abuja, underscored that all Nigerians—Christians, Muslims, and adherents of other faiths—have suffered from terrorism and banditry, and that security challenges are not religion-specific. He called on communication professionals to help promote accurate narratives about Nigeria.

“The false narrative of Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom is damaging,” Idris said. “We need a communication renaissance—one that emphasizes facts over fear, unity over division, and truth over propaganda.”

The African Union also weighed in, with Commission Chair Mahamoud Ali Youssouf declaring there is no genocide in northern Nigeria, noting that the first victims of Boko Haram are Muslims, not Christians.

Reacting to US President Donald Trump’s threats of military intervention, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) called for collaboration rather than confrontation. PFN President Wale Oke urged Trump to support President Bola Tinubu in tackling terrorism without resorting to threats. “We do not want an American invasion. We want cooperation to stop the targeted killings,” Oke said.

Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi echoed concerns over the country’s challenges, noting that the focus should not be on debating genocide but addressing killings, insecurity, and impunity. He said, “Our disgrace is not defined by what others say, but by what we allow to persist in our society.” Obi highlighted Nigeria’s economic and social crises, including poverty affecting over 130 million Nigerians, millions of children denied education, high youth unemployment, and widespread corruption, urging citizens to confront these issues honestly.

Despite the grim realities, Obi called for hope and action. “Even in the face of such challenges, we must not lose faith in our capacity to rebuild,” he said, emphasizing that national restoration requires collective responsibility and leadership accountability.