The federal government has reacted to last Wednesday’s United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa which gave President Donald Trump the green light to designate Nigeria ‘Country of Particular Concern’ and impose stringent sanctions on it over widespread killing of Christians in the country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says there are no targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement by its acting Spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said on Friday that the U.S. Congress report is part of a misleading campaign aimed at influencing foreign governments to designate the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to violence against Christians.
However, while the Ministry acknowledged the country’s security challenges but stressed that such incidents are not motivated by religious bias, adding that the majority of violence in the predominantly Muslim Northern region stems from criminality, insurgency, and banditry, not religious persecution.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to express strong concern over the recent wave of misinformation and misleading reports regarding the supposed targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.
“The unfortunate development is intended to influence foreign governments, especially the United States Government, to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern, due to the violence against Christians.
“While the Federal Government acknowledges the security challenges confronting the nation, it is imperative to clarify that these negative activities are not driven by religious bias, nor targeted against any particular religious group.
“It should be noted that the majority of incidents relating to insurgency and banditry that occur in the predominantly Muslim northern part of Nigeria are not targeted at followers of a particular faith or religion. Any narrative that seeks to give such incidents a colouration of religious persecution is erroneous and misleading,” the statement read in part.
According to the statement, the Ministry emphasised that Nigeria is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation, and the government remains committed to protecting all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity while highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts to combat security threats, including military actions against insurgents and bandits, and efforts to address communal clashes, such as those between farmers and herders.
“The government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has taken significant steps to address these security concerns, including the deployment of security forces, intelligence gathering and community engagement initiatives.
“Indeed, the military has recorded substantial gains in curtailing the activities of bandits and insurgents.
“To bring an end to such security challenges, both the federal and state authorities have embarked on kinetic and non-kinetic methods and expedited the implementation of the national livestock plan,” the statement added.
The ministry urged the international community to verify information before making statements that could deepen tensions in Nigeria.
It also called on media, civil society organisations, and foreign partners to avoid spreading unverified claims, stressing the importance of national unity and stability.
The statement concluded, “Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence and welcomed international support in addressing its security challenges. However, it firmly rejected attempts to misrepresent the country and fuel division among its people.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, therefore, urges the international community to exercise caution and verify information before drawing conclusions or making statements that could exacerbate tensions within Nigeria.
“We call on all stakeholders, including the media, civil society organizations and foreign partners, to refrain from spreading unverified claims that could undermine national unity and stability.
“Nigeria remains a beacon of religious tolerance and coexistence in Africa and is committed to preserving this heritage. We welcome constructive dialogue and support from the international community in addressing our security challenges.
“However, we strongly reject any attempts to wrongly designate the country, distort the narrative, or sow seeds of discord among our people.”
Meanwhile, the approval for President Trump to sanction Nigeria followed a congressional hearing on Wednesday, during which lawmakers condemned the Nigerian government for failing to protect Christian communities from escalating violence.
The committee also cited a 2024 report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, which revealed that Nigerians account for 90 per cent of all Christians killed worldwide each year.
The report documented that between October 2019 and September 2023, a staggering 55,910 people were killed, while 21,000 others were abducted by terrorist groups operating in the region.
During the hearing, Committee Chairman Chris Smith, who highlighted the severity of the crisis, pointed to testimony from Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Diocese of Makurdi, Nigeria, as a viable witness.
He said: “One of our distinguished witnesses today–Bishop Wilfred Anagbe–travelled a long distance to be with us, and his testimony is both compelling and disturbing.
“Militant Fulani herdsmen are terrorists. They steal and vandalise, they kill and boast about it, they kidnap and rape, and they enjoy total impunity from elected officials. None of them have been arrested or brought to justice.”
“Make no mistake–these attacks are religiously motivated,” the report stated. “Denying this reality contradicts the overwhelming evidence we have seen with our own eyes. This ‘religious cleansing’ must stop, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
The congressional panel strongly criticised the Nigerian government for failing to address religiously motivated violence, despite constitutional protections for religious freedom.
Expressing concern that the Nigeria’s judicial system had been weaponised to suppress Christian communities, the lawmakers cited cases where blasphemy laws have been used to target religious minorities.
“The Government of Nigeria has made little progress in addressing the persecution of Christians, even though religious freedom is enshrined as a fundamental human right in its Constitution.
“While Nigeria’s legal framework ostensibly supports religious pluralism at both federal and state levels, glaring contradictions persist–particularly in laws that criminalise blasphemy, some of which even carry the death penalty,” the subcommittee’s report stated.
Blaming the previous administration of President Joe Biden for weakening U.S. pressure on Nigeria by removing the country from the Country of Particular Concern (CPC) list, Smith said the designation was originally applied during President Trump’s first term.
He noted that despite four consecutive years of recommendations from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (2021-2024), the Biden administration had failed to reinstate Nigeria’s CPC status.
“Under President Biden, Nigeria was removed from the CPC list, despite overwhelming evidence that religious persecution had worsened. This decision ignored the repeated recommendations of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom,” he said.
He called on President Trump to take decisive action, including restoring Nigeria’s CPC designation and engaging directly with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to ensure better protection for Christian communities.
“I fully expect President Trump to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC and to take additional steps to support the persecuted church. Last night, I reintroduced a resolution on this issue, and I hope we will have a robust discussion that leads to real action,” he added.
He also urged the Trump administration and the U.S. Senate to be prepared to impose sanctions on Nigeria if the violence against Christians continues.
“This hearing should serve as a catalyst for action–not just within Congress but also within the Executive Branch,” he added.
“The new President has a responsibility to act, and I believe he will. If necessary, sanctions must be imposed. When they have been used in the past, they have brought change. Where there are no consequences, the killing fields remain.”
