FG to US: Christians not target of insurgency in Nigeria- Tuggar

The federal government has rejected recent reports by the US Congress alleging targeted killings of Christians in Nigeria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement by its acting spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, on Friday described the report as 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.

According to reports, the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa authorised President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on Nigeria due to the alleged widespread killing of Christians and escalating religious violence within the country.

The approval came after a congressional hearing on Wednesday, where lawmakers expressed frustration over the Nigerian government’s alleged failure to protect Christian communities from the ongoing attacks.

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A report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, cited during the hearing, revealed that Nigeria accounted for 90 per cent of all Christians killed globally each year.

Between October 2019 and September 2023, over 55,000 people were killed and an additional 21,000 abducted by terrorist groups.

Although the federal government acknowledged the country’s security challenges, it stressed that such incidents are not motivated by religious bias.

It said the majority of violence in the predominantly Muslim northern region stemmed from criminality, insurgency and banditry, not religious persecution.

The government highlighted its 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.