Ali Ndume Refutes Ted Cruz’s Genocide Claim, Says Christians Not Being Persecuted in Nigeria

Senator Ali Ndume has rejected allegations made by U.S. lawmaker Senator Ted Cruz that Christians are facing genocide in Nigeria, describing the claim as untrue and misleading.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, the Borno South senator said the assertion distorts Nigeria’s security situation and could misinform the international community.

“What Ted Cruz and co said is not true. It is not true to say Christians are being persecuted in Nigeria,” Ndume stated.

He noted that Cruz’s narrative dates back to 2020, when then–U.S. President Donald Trump designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) — a category reserved for nations accused of religious persecution. “That means sanctions will be applied,” Ndume added, clarifying that the situation has since evolved.

Ndume emphasized that insecurity in Nigeria should not be framed along religious lines, stressing that victims of attacks include people from various faiths and ethnic groups. He urged international observers to seek factual information rather than rely on outdated or biased reports.

His comments followed Senator Cruz’s post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, in which the U.S. senator alleged that about 50,000 Christians had been killed since 2009 and that over 2,000 schools and 18,000 churches were destroyed by “Islamist armed groups.” Cruz also announced plans to introduce a bill in the U.S. Senate to sanction Nigerian officials allegedly complicit in such violence.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Senate has dismissed Cruz’s claims, calling them “false, divisive, and harmful to national unity.” During Thursday’s plenary, lawmakers debated a motion titled “Urgent Need to Correct Misconceptions Regarding the Purported ‘Christian Genocide’ Narrative in Nigeria and International Communities.”

The Senate resolved to collaborate with the Federal Government to strengthen counter-terrorism measures and improve public communication to curb misinformation about Nigeria’s internal security issues. Lawmakers also urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage diplomatically with the United States to clarify Nigeria’s position and ensure an accurate global understanding of the country’s security realities.

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