Allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria overstated, says Onanuga

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has rejected reports alleging the mass killing of Christians in Nigeria, describing such claims as highly exaggerated.

Onanuga’s response came on Saturday following a post by the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who alleged that radical Islamists and Fulani militias were responsible for the “ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians” in the country.

Rubio, in a post shared on X on Friday, said:

“The ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians in Nigeria by radical Islamists and Fulani ethnic militias is both tragic and unacceptable. As @POTUS said, the United States stands ready, willing, and able to act.”

His statement came after the White House announced Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged violations of religious freedom.

Earlier on Friday, former U.S. President Donald Trump had also echoed similar concerns, describing the situation as a “genocide against believers.”

Responding through his verified X handle, Onanuga dismissed the claims, insisting that there is no organized campaign targeting Christians in Nigeria.

“Dear Secretary Rubio, there is no ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians in Nigeria. This is a gross exaggeration of the Nigerian situation. What we do have are sporadic attacks on some villages by bandits and terrorists, and the attacks are religiously insensitive. Christians, Muslims, churches, and mosques are attacked randomly,” he wrote.

The presidential aide emphasized that Nigeria’s insecurity problem is not religiously motivated, noting that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of violence across the country.

“What our country requires from America is military support to fight these violent extremists in some states of our country, not designation as a nation of particular concern,” Onanuga added.

In a separate reply to Rubio, Onanuga further stated:

“Secretary Rubio, Muslim lives matter too.”

Meanwhile, the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also rejected Nigeria’s inclusion on the U.S. religious freedom watchlist, calling it misleading and unfair.

The ministry maintained that insecurity in Nigeria stems largely from criminality and banditry, not religious persecution, and reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the rights and freedoms of all faiths.