By Olatunbosun Obafemi
The House of Representatives has dismissed claims that Nigeria’s security challenges are religiously motivated or backed by the state, describing such narratives as misleading and harmful to the country’s image.
The lawmakers’ reaction follows a bill introduced in the United States Congress on March 11, 2025, seeking to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for allegedly engaging in, and tolerating, systematic violations of religious freedom.
In a motion of urgent public importance moved by the Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, and unanimously adopted by members, the House directed relevant agencies — including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — to compile and transmit empirical evidence refuting the allegations contained in the U.S. bill.
Lawmakers maintained that Nigeria is not experiencing a religious crisis, insisting that the nation’s security challenges stem from terrorism, banditry, and other criminal activities, not from religious persecution. They urged swift diplomatic engagement to prevent the bill from gaining traction in the U.S. Congress.
The development comes two weeks after the Federal Government strongly rejected similar claims. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, had described as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive” allegations that terrorists in Nigeria are carrying out a genocide against Christians.
According to Idris, extremists have attacked Nigerians of all faiths, and framing the conflict as religiously targeted oversimplifies a complex national security situation. He emphasised that such narratives only serve to divide the country and embolden terrorists.
The minister further noted that ongoing military operations have significantly weakened terror groups, reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting all citizens regardless of faith or ethnicity.
