By Ihechi Enyinnaya
The Federal Government has strongly dismissed allegations circulating on some international platforms that terrorists in Nigeria are carrying out a systematic genocide against Christians.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, September 28, 2025, by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the government described the claims as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive,” warning that such narratives misrepresent Nigeria’s security realities and risk fueling division.
According to the statement, terrorism in Nigeria is not targeted at a particular faith or ethnic group but affects all communities. “Muslims, Christians, and even those who do not identify with any religion have suffered at their hands,” the government noted, adding that portraying the crisis as religious genocide “oversimplifies a complex security environment and plays into the hands of terrorists.”
Highlighting recent gains in the fight against insurgency, the government disclosed that between May 2023 and February 2025, more than 13,500 terrorists were neutralized and nearly 10,000 hostages rescued in nationwide military operations. It also announced the capture of the top leadership of ANSARU, Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate, in a major counter-terrorism operation last month.
“These feats underscore the determination and success of our security forces and expose as unfounded the notion that Nigeria is passively tolerating religiously motivated terrorism,” the statement read.
The government further pointed to Nigeria’s inclusive leadership structure, noting that both the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General of Police are Christians, while the country remains home to some of the world’s largest Muslim and Christian communities.
On accountability, the statement stressed that the armed forces and police continue to hold their personnel responsible through court martials and prosecutions, while Boko Haram suspects have faced seven rounds of prosecution, yielding over 700 convictions, with an eighth cycle underway.
Reiterating President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to security and justice, the government urged international commentators to avoid sensationalism and instead support Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism.
“The Nigerian story is not one of religious genocide,” Idris said. “It is a story of resilience, diversity, and a globally acknowledged commitment to peaceful coexistence.” He cited the recent award of the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize to two Nigerian religious leaders for their interfaith peacebuilding efforts as proof of the nation’s dedication to unity.