The Senate has dismissed as misleading and unfounded, recent claims in international circles describing Nigeria’s security challenges as a Christian genocide.
This followed a motion raised during plenary on Thursday by Sen. Ali Ndume (APC–Borno South), expressing concern over attempts to brand Nigeria as a country of particular concern by some advocacy groups and members of the U.S. Congress.
Ndume noted that while insecurity remains a major challenge in the country, it affects both Christian and Muslim communities and should not be misrepresented along religious lines.
During debate on the motion, lawmakers warned that such narratives, though often presented under the guise of human rights advocacy, are capable of distorting facts, undermining national unity, and damaging Nigeria’s international reputation.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio proposed the constitution of an ad-hoc committee to visit the United States and engage members of the U.S. Congress directly.
He said such engagement was necessary to correct existing misconceptions and provide a broader understanding of the country’s internal security dynamics.
“There are misconceptions that need to be corrected. We are dealing with a complex terrorist threat, and it’s important that our counterparts in the U.S. understand that the violence affects both Christians and Muslims,” Akpabio said.
Also speaking, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim (APC–Ondo South) stressed the importance of developing home-grown counterterrorism strategies based on local realities.
He said Nigeria’s approved national security summit was a step towards that goal and should guide future engagements with international partners.
Supporting the motion, Sen. Abdul Ningi (PDP–Bauchi Central) seconded the call for a temporary step-down of the matter, pending further legislative consideration and the finalisation of the proposed delegation to the U.S.
The motion, as contained in the Senate resolution, provided examples of attacks across different regions, highlighting the non-sectarian nature of the violence.
These include:
July 2023 attacks on predominantly Christian communities in Plateau State, which claimed over 20 lives;
August 2023 bandit raids on Muslim villages in Katsina and Zamfara States, resulting in dozens of deaths;
And continued terrorist attacks on both churches and mosques in Borno and Kaduna States.
The Senate resolved to reconvene on the matter in a closed-door executive session to discuss the composition of the delegation and next steps in the diplomatic engagement.
