FG Blames Foreign Lobbyists for Spreading ‘Christian Genocide’ Narrative About Nigeria

The Federal Government has accused foreign lobbyists, especially those based in the United States, of promoting false claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria and shaping negative international opinions about the country’s security situation.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the allegation during a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, saying government findings indicate a coordinated effort to distort Nigeria’s internal security realities.

“The Nigerian government has been able to see a correlation between some of the lobbyists operating, especially in the US, and the activities here,” Idris said. “We have seen that some of the influencers of these criminal activities have a direct relationship with lobbyists in the US, who have a direct relationship with some of these people who are shouting about this issue outside this country.”

The statement follows the United States’ decision to re-designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution and killings of Christians—an assessment the Nigerian government firmly rejects.

Idris emphasized that while insecurity remains a major national challenge, there is no evidence of state-sanctioned targeting of any religious group.

“Nigeria faces long-standing security challenges that have impacted Christians and Muslims alike. Any narrative suggesting that the Nigerian state is failing to take action against religious attacks is based on misinformation or faulty data,” he noted.

Describing the U.S. position as a product of “misrepresentation and misinformation,” the minister insisted that violent actors in Nigeria do not operate along religious lines.

Citing achievements under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Idris reported that security forces have “neutralised more than 13,500 terrorists” and arrested over 17,000 suspects since May 2023. Additionally, “more than 9,850 abducted persons” have been rescued and reunited with their families in the same period.

He reiterated that the Federal Government remains committed to working with international partners to dismantle terrorist networks and restore lasting peace across the country.