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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has strongly rejected claims by some American commentators suggesting that a “Christian genocide” is taking place in the country, insisting that such narratives distort the reality of Nigeria’s security challenges.
The Christian body said the allegations, which recently resurfaced following comments by U.S. media personalities and lawmakers, were exaggerated and not based on verified facts.
U.S. talk show host Bill Maher had alleged that Christians were being systematically wiped out in Nigeria by Islamist extremists, claiming that over 100,000 Christians had been killed and more than 18,000 churches destroyed since 2009.
Maher compared the situation to the ongoing war in Gaza, calling it “a larger-scale genocide.”
Similarly, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz accused Nigerian authorities of overlooking and, in some cases, enabling the killings of Christians by jihadist groups.
Cruz said he had introduced a bill titled The Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act to impose sanctions on officials allegedly complicit in such acts.
Adding to the controversy, U.S. Congressman Riley Moore reportedly urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to classify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and suspend arms sales to Abuja over alleged religious persecution.
Reacting to the reports, the Director of National Issues and Social Welfare at CAN, Abimbola Ayuba, said the claim of a coordinated Christian genocide in Nigeria was “an emotional misrepresentation of complex realities.”
According to Ayuba, Nigeria’s security crisis affects all citizens, regardless of faith. “It is true that killings happen almost daily, but these attacks are not defined by religion.
Both Christians and Muslims have fallen victim to terrorism and banditry,” he said.
He added that while certain regions may appear to experience targeted attacks, the pattern of violence does not suggest a deliberate extermination of any particular religion.
“In Benue, for example, the victims are mostly Christians, but in Zamfara or Borno, you’ll find Muslims killed during early morning prayers. Terrorism in Nigeria is a national tragedy, not a religious one,” Ayuba explained.
The CAN official also cautioned against what he described as “foreign exploitation of Nigeria’s pain.” He said some groups outside the country intentionally amplify misinformation for political or ideological reasons.
“Sometimes, our crisis becomes a tool for external narratives. Those spreading such claims abroad may mean well, but they often rely on one-sided reports. What we need is a united front at home to fix our problems,” Ayuba stated.
He urged Nigerians to rely more on domestic institutions such as the National Assembly and human rights bodies to address issues of violence and insecurity rather than seeking foreign intervention.
“When powerful nations blacklist Nigeria, the ordinary people suffer the most,” he warned.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Presidency has also dismissed the allegations of religious genocide, maintaining that the violence witnessed in parts of the country stems from terrorism, banditry, and criminality rather than religious persecution.
Government officials have repeatedly said that the federal government is working with security agencies and community leaders to address the root causes of insecurity across the country.
Ayuba concluded that Nigeria’s challenges “require truth, unity, and internal collaboration, not divisive labels or foreign pity.”