The Federal Government has acknowledged the severity of killings across the country, admitting that Nigeria continues to grapple with jihadist extremism and other forms of violence that have claimed the lives of both Christians and Muslims.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this on Friday during an appearance on Channels Television, where he insisted the Tinubu administration is not downplaying the scale of insecurity confronting the nation.
“Yes, we have people being killed, no doubt about that, and the government is not shying away or denying this,” Idris said.
He explained that the violence stems from religious tensions, economic hardship, and long-running communal conflicts, particularly in the Middle Belt.
According to the minister, President Bola Tinubu is “deeply saddened” by every life lost and has consistently taken steps to recalibrate the country’s security architecture.
“Do we have people killed? Yes. Is it a good thing? No. Is the government doing anything? Quite a lot. We should not have a situation where anybody is killed, whether Christians or Muslims,” he added.
Idris once again rejected claims suggesting a targeted “religious genocide,” stressing that extremist violence affects both faith groups.
“You have jihadist extremism coming from the North-East, and this is a sixteen-year struggle,” he said.
He noted that Boko Haram and other extremist groups kill indiscriminately, making narratives of Christian-only or Muslim-only victimisation inaccurate.
The minister also addressed renewed scrutiny from the United States following former President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC). Trump had reportedly threatened unilateral U.S. military action if attacks on Christians continued, prompting the Pentagon to draft contingency plans.
While some U.S. officials warned that isolated airstrikes would be ineffective without a broader intervention—which Washington is unwilling to pursue—the Tinubu administration maintains that claims of religious persecution do not reflect Nigeria’s reality.
In his response, President Tinubu stated that the CPC designation “does not reflect our national reality,” citing ongoing engagements with religious leaders from both faiths since 2023 to improve security.
On Thursday, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa held a hearing titled “A Serious, Well-Founded Wake-Up Call” to debate Nigeria’s security situation and allegations of religious-freedom violations. Senior State Department officials Jonathan Pratt and Jacob McGee testified on persistent attacks by Boko Haram and armed militias.
Committee Chairman, Chris Smith, argued that Nigeria faces “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom,” prompting lawmakers to deliberate on possible sanctions, visa restrictions, and stricter conditions on U.S. assistance.
Despite the international pressure, the Nigerian government insists it is strengthening military operations and addressing the underlying issues fueling insecurity — even as violence continues to spread across several regions.