The Federal Government on Tuesday rejected claims of religious persecution in Nigeria, dismissing a recent report submitted to the White House by members of the United States Congress as misrepresenting the country’s security realities.
The report, compiled by the US House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations, followed months of investigation into alleged persecution of Christians and extremist violence in Nigeria.
The congressional move came after former US President, Donald Trump, redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and directed Congressman Riley Moore and Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole to spearhead a probe into religious persecution and terrorism-related violence in the country.
Moore, in a statement posted on his official X handle, described the submission of the report to the White House as the culmination of extensive bipartisan engagements, adding that the findings provided a clearer picture of insecurity and the plight of Christian communities in parts of Nigeria.
However, Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the Federal Government strongly disagreed with the characterisation of the security crisis as religious persecution.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the minister maintained that Nigeria does not have, and has never operated, a state policy of religious persecution.
He said, “The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken note of recent statements and recommendations emerging from engagements within the United States Congress, contained in a joint report on Christian persecution in Nigeria submitted to the White House.
“Nigeria acknowledges that parts of the country continue to face serious security challenges, including terrorism, banditry and communal conflicts that have tragically affected many communities.
The Federal Government remains deeply concerned about the loss of lives and destruction of property resulting from these criminal acts, and we extend our sympathies to all victims and their families, regardless of faith, ethnicity or region.”
Idris stressed that the violence being tackled by security agencies was driven by complex factors such as terrorism, organised criminality and longstanding communal tensions — not by government policy or religious bias.
He further noted that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and worship for all citizens, assuring that the government remained committed to upholding those constitutional provisions and ensuring equal protection under the law.
The minister added that Nigeria valued its longstanding strategic partnership with the United States and would continue to engage with Washington through diplomatic channels.
“Our two countries share common interests in promoting security, economic development and regional stability. We remain open to constructive dialogue and cooperation rooted in mutual respect, shared responsibility and recognition of Nigeria’s constitutional framework and sovereignty,” he said.
The Federal Government reiterated that its primary responsibility remains the protection of all Nigerians, irrespective of religion or ethnicity, as security agencies intensify efforts to combat terrorism, banditry and other violent crimes across the country.
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