The Federal Government says recent comments from the United States have strengthened violent groups seeking to exploit Nigeria’s security challenges. The position was issued in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The statement rejected what it described as an inaccurate narrative promoted by former US President Donald Trump, which suggested a genocide against Christians in Nigeria. The government said no credible international body has ever classified the country’s crisis along those lines.
The statement said Christians and Muslims across Nigeria have both come under attack. It noted that Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province target churches and mosques alike, killing worshippers without religious distinction. It added that bandit networks also strike communities regardless of faith.
The government linked the long-running flow of weapons through smuggling routes controlled by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb to the strengthening of Boko Haram and ISWAP. It said these weapons contributed to the expansion of insurgent and criminal networks across the region.
According to the statement, Nigeria rejects any effort to frame the conflict as genocide against a particular religious group. It maintained that verified evidence shows insurgents attacking locations used by both Christians and Muslims.
The government said recent comments from the United States created conditions that emboldened opportunistic groups seeking attention through attacks on soft targets. It said these groups attempted to take advantage of global narratives to project influence.
The statement said insurgency structures had been heavily weakened before the latest comments. It added that remaining threats were isolated and largely driven by criminal motives rather than ideological campaigns.
