Perception may shape reality, but when perception is hijacked by synthetic distortion and emotional exaggeration, truth suffers. Some global voices now claim there’s a genocide against Christians in Nigeria. Genocide? In a country where:
- The First Lady is Christian
- The Chief of Defense Staff and Inspector General of Police are Christians
- The Senate President is Christian
- 18 of 36 Governors are Christians, with a Christian overseeing the FCT
This is not genocide. It’s a distortion of Nigeria’s complex security reality.
Between May 2023 and February 2025, over 13,500 terrorists were neutralized and nearly 10,000 hostages rescued. The top leadership of ANSARU—Nigeria’s Al-Qaeda affiliate—was captured. These are not the actions of a government complicit in religious persecution.
Terrorists have killed Muslims, Christians, and non-believers alike. The bullets do not discriminate. Yet, some commentators persist in framing this as a religious war—ignoring facts, leadership diversity, and lived realities.
Even more troubling is how quickly this embellishment finds echo among the educated. The bullet theory may be buried in media studies, but its ghost walks again—revived by clickbait, deepfakes, and intellectual laziness. Today’s misinformation is powered not just by synthetic media, but by hyperbole—where isolated incidents are exaggerated and generalized to fit a script.
That’s why a country that should rank among the most religiously tolerant in the world can be slapped with the allegation of systemic genocide against Christians.
In a country as vast and diverse as Nigeria, there may be isolated infractions—but they are neither systemic nor state-endorsed. Insecurity in Christian-majority southern Kaduna, long plagued by violence, saw notable improvement only after the exit of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. His tenure was marked by persistent allegations of bias and selective response, raising legitimate concerns about impartiality in governance. But even if one leader failed to rise above sectarian fault lines, it does not justify branding an entire nation as genocidal. Nigeria’s story is broader, more complex, and far more inclusive than the actions—or inactions—of any single official.
One of the loudest voices behind this claim is The Catholic World Report, which on July 6, 2025, described Nigeria’s military as “jihadist” and accused the state of enabling genocide. If this reflects the official position of the Catholic Church in Nigeria, then clarity is urgently needed. President Tinubu, a Muslim, attended Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration in Rome to demonstrate solidarity. The Church must now reciprocate that goodwill by confirming whether it truly believes there is systemic, institutional genocide—or whether it stands by the lived reality of interfaith coexistence.
In many communities, Christians and Muslims take turns celebrating one another’s festivities. That’s the lived experience.
Nigeria is not perfect. But it is not genocidal. It is a nation of resilience, diversity, and peaceful coexistence, as affirmed by the Commonwealth Peace Prize awarded to Rev. Dr. James Wuye and Imam Dr. Muhammad Ashafa.
Misinformation is not just careless—it is dangerous. Nigeria deserves honesty, not hysteria.
Reason is still available. Use it.
Nigeria #ChristianPersecution #CatholicVoices #FaithAndFreedom #StopMisinformation #InterfaithNigeria #SouthernKaduna #ReligiousTolerance
By: Olabode Opeseitan
