FG dismisses claims of christian genocide, says allegations distort Nigeria’s image
The Federal Government has rejected allegations of Christian genocide in Nigeria, insisting the claims are false, misleading, and damaging to the country’s international reputation.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the clarification on Thursday while reacting to comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who threatened military action if Nigeria failed to curb terrorist attacks.
Tuggar, in a post on X, demanded the full and unedited airing of his recent interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, saying selective editing could distort Nigeria’s image and fuel misleading narratives about religious persecution. He maintained that his appearance on the programme was to present “a factual and balanced response” to claims about religious freedoms in the country.
Also speaking, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, dismissed the genocide allegation as a deliberate misinformation campaign that misrepresents Nigeria’s diversity.
“This narrative is false. It distorts our reality as a nation of diverse peoples and faiths who have lived together peacefully for generations,” he said at the 5th National Advertising Conference in Abuja.
Idris stressed that Nigeria’s security challenges were not religiously driven, noting that Christians, Muslims and people of other faiths had all suffered from terrorism and banditry. He added that the government had strengthened security operations by restructuring the command system and introducing new strategies in the fight against insurgency.
The African Union also backed Nigeria’s position, declaring that there was no genocide in the country’s northern region.
Meanwhile, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) urged President Trump to work with President Bola Tinubu in addressing insecurity rather than issuing threats of military intervention.
Idris encouraged professionals in marketing and advertising to help counter false narratives about Nigeria, saying they play a crucial role in shaping national perception.
“We need a communication renaissance one that emphasises facts over fear, unity over division, and truth over propaganda,” he said.
