Christian Genocide Claim Aimed At Damaging Nigeria’s Reputation — FG

The Federal Government on Monday again described allega­tions of a Christian genocide in Nigeria as false and malicious propaganda aimed at damaging the country’s global reputation.

Minister of Information, Mo­hammed Idris, who spoke in Abu­ja at the national unveiling of the World Public Relations Forum themed ‘Responsible Communi­cation: The Voice of the World’, said the claim was part of a for­eign-sponsored campaign to sow division and weaken Nigeria’s unity.

Claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria resur­faced last month after U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, during a podcast with television host Bill Maher, alleged that Christians were being “systematically targeted and killed” — a situation he described as genocide.

Maher and political com­mentator Van Jones echoed the claims, accusing the Nigerian government of complicity.

The Nigerian govern­ment swiftly rejected the al­legations, maintaining that insecurity in the country stems from terrorism, ban­ditry, and criminality—not religion.

But Idris insisted that those peddling the spec­ulation are not doing the nation any good.

He said, “This is a pro­paganda externally woven by those who want to weak­en our unity. For the ump­teenth time, I am emphatic that there’s no iota of truth in the claim of a ‘Christian genocide’ in Nigeria.

“I therefore urge us to use the instruments of public relations, crafted in truths and facts, to ve­hemently reject these de­spicable single narratives about Nigeria.”

The minister urged Ni­gerians to be wary of such narratives, stressing that the nation’s diversity and democratic strength should not be misrepresented as religious persecution.

“We must come to terms with existential reputation­al threats to our national brand, in which external purveyors of untruth are mischaracterising our na­tion as a destination for a so-called persecution of people based on their reli­gious faiths,” he said.

He maintained that Ni­geria, under President Bola Tinubu, is “reforming, re­branding, and re-emerging— driven by innovation, private sector growth, and renewed international confidence.”

The minister further called on communicators to “become the voice of responsibility—the voice of the world that heals di­visions, inspires hope, and drives development.”

Meanwhile, the Etsu Nupe and Chairman of the Niger State Council of Tra­ditional Rulers, Alhaji Dr Yahaya Abubakar, has com­mended the organisers for their foresight and pledged full traditional support for the upcoming global forum.

“For anything you want to do in life, you must plan. Plan early, and you achieve success,” he said.

Former Niger State gov­ernor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, also lauded the Nigerian In­stitute of Public Relations for its innovation, particu­larly its plan to establish a university by 2026.

“My happiness is that NIPR is institutionalising itself as a proper organi­sation because they have always been first in many things,” he said, express­ing confidence that Nigeria will deliver “an excellent show” that reshapes global perception of the country.

“Now that we don’t have ambassadors, we need peo­ple to come, so that when they leave, they will be saying, oh, this Nigeria is not what they have read about,” Aliyu added.