𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐬 R𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐔𝐒 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞’𝐬 Claim Of ‘G𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞’ A𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 Nigerian 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬

Nigeria’s House of Representatives has firmly rejected a recent claim by the United States Senate that described the country’s security challenges as a “genocide against Christians” or a case of state-sponsored persecution.

The lawmakers also moved to resist a proposed US bill that seeks to classify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and impose sanctions on its officials under the Global Magnitsky Act.

The bill, titled the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (S.2747), was introduced in the US Senate on September 9, 2025.

Following the development, the House directed its relevant committees to coordinate with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, D.C., to submit an official diplomatic communication to the sponsors of the bill and concerned US committees within 21 days. The aim is to provide factual data and Nigeria’s official position on the issue.

The committees were also instructed to engage the US Mission in Nigeria and US lawmakers to propose a Nigeria-US Joint Fact-Finding and Dialogue Mechanism on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB). This dialogue would involve faith leaders, independent experts, and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and co-sponsored by other lawmakers.

Kalu, in his motion, noted that USCIRF had repeatedly recommended Nigeria for CPC designation due to alleged religious violations and state failure to prevent abuses by non-state actors. However, he emphasized that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits the adoption of any state religion.

He highlighted that insecurity in Nigeria is driven by multiple factors, including insurgency, banditry, communal clashes, and separatist violence, which affect people of all faiths. According to him, attributing these crises solely to religious persecution distorts the facts and risks damaging Nigeria’s global reputation.

“External legislative actions based on incomplete or decontextualized reports risk undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty, straining relations, and emboldening violent groups,” Kalu warned.

The House reaffirmed its commitment to protecting freedom of religion and belief for all citizens, while condemning violence or persecution based on faith. Lawmakers expressed sympathy for all victims of insecurity regardless of their religious backgrounds.

The resolution mandated the Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor implementation and report back within 28 days. Copies of the resolution will be sent to the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and heads of security agencies. It will also be transmitted to the US Congress, the State Department, USCIRF, the African Union, ECOWAS Commission, and the United Nations.

The House reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to its partnership with the United States in counterterrorism, human rights, and interfaith dialogue but cautioned that unfounded foreign narratives could harm long-standing bilateral cooperation.

The post 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐬 R𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐔𝐒 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐞’𝐬 Claim Of ‘G𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞’ A𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭 Nigerian 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐬 first appeared on Diaspora Digital Media DDM.