The House of Representatives has condemned a bill introduced in the United States Congress that accuses Nigeria of tolerating religious killings and violations of religious freedom.
The lawmakers, during plenary on Tuesday, described the claims as false and misleading, insisting that Nigeria is not facing a religious crisis. They also called for immediate diplomatic engagement to counter the narrative and prevent the bill from advancing in the U.S. legislature.
The decision followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, which received unanimous support from members.
The U.S. resolution, introduced on March 11, 2025, seeks to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” for allegedly engaging in and tolerating systematic and egregious violations of religious freedom.
In response, the House directed relevant government agencies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to compile and transmit empirical evidence disproving the allegations.
Lawmakers maintained that Nigeria’s insecurity stems from criminal and terrorist activities, not religion, and stressed that portraying it otherwise could endanger national unity.
Two weeks earlier, the Federal Government had also rejected similar claims, with Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris describing them as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive.”
He stated that while Nigeria, like many countries, faces terrorism and banditry, labeling the situation as a genocide against Christians “grossly misrepresents reality” and fuels extremist propaganda.
“The federal government strongly condemns and categorically refutes recent allegations suggesting that terrorists in Nigeria are engaged in a systematic genocide against Christians,” Idris said.
He added that extremists have attacked Nigerians of all faiths and emphasized that the military continues to make progress in dismantling terror networks across the country.
