The Federal Government has condemned in strong terms reports alleging religious genocide in Nigeria, insisting such claims are false, misleading and divisive.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris who made the clarification in Abuja stressed that portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted attack on Christians was a “gross misrepresentation of reality.”
According to him, “these criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith”.
Idris adedd that between May 2023 and February 2025, over 13,500 terrorists were neutralised and nearly 10,000 hostages rescued, describing the achievements as proof of government’s commitment to national security.
Only last month, the top leadership of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan – commonly known as ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, was captured in a well-coordinated counter-terrorism operation. They are: Mahmud Muhammad Usman (aka Abu Bara’a/Abbas/Mukhtar), the self-styled Emir of ANSARU; and Mahmud al-Nigeri (aka Mallam Mamuda), Abu Bara’s proclaimed Chief of Staff and Deputy.
Idris also pointed out that Nigeria has secured over 700 convictions of Boko Haram suspects through seven prosecution cycles, with the eighth cycle underway, further demonstrating the government’s resolve to fight terrorism.
He noted that Nigeria remains a multi-religious state with strong Christian and Muslim populations, stressing that “Christianity is neither endangered nor marginalised in Nigeria,” and highlighting inclusivity in national leadership positions.
The Nigerian story is not one of religious genocide or persecution. Rather, it is a story of resilience, diversity, and a globally acknowledged commitment to peaceful coexistence. In March of this year, the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize was awarded to two Nigerian religious leaders, Reverend James Movel Wuye and Imam Muhammad Nurayn Ashafa, co-founders of the Interfaith Mediation Centre. Their decades-long work to promote trust and tolerance across faiths now serves as a model for peacebuilding in all 56 Commonwealth countries. This means that Nigeria is not only exporting culture and music to the world—we are also exporting proven frameworks for interfaith harmony”, the minister noted.
