
US Claims of Targeted Christian Killings Refuted by FG
The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has refuted recent allegations from the United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, which claimed that Christians in Nigeria are being specifically targeted and killed due to their faith. The ministry emphasized that the ongoing insurgency affects all Nigerians, irrespective of their religious affiliations.
This response comes after the U.S. subcommittee approved potential sanctions against Nigeria, citing reports of widespread violence against Christian communities. During a recent hearing, the committee referenced a report by the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa, which documented that between October 2019 and September 2023, approximately 55,910 individuals were killed, and 21,000 others were abducted by terrorist groups operating in the region.
The Nigerian government, however, maintains that these violent acts are perpetrated by terrorist organizations targeting various segments of the population, not exclusively Christians. They assert that the insurgency’s impact is widespread, affecting individuals across different religious backgrounds.