By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

The Federal Government has refuted allegations by some international platforms and online influencers that terrorists in Nigeria are carrying out a systematic genocide against Christians.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, in a statement on Sunday, described the claims as false, baseless, divisive, and a misrepresentation of Nigeria?s security challenges.

Idris said portraying insecurity as a deliberate attack on a single religious group oversimplifies the complex realities of terrorism and criminality in the country.

According to him, the criminals target all who reject their murderous ideology, regardless of faith. Muslims, Christians, and even those who do not identify with any religion have suffered at their hands

?The federal government remains unwavering in its commitment to completely degrading terrorist groups and securing the lives and property of all citizens, and this resolve is already yielding results.

?Between May 2023 and February 2025 alone, over 13,543 terrorists and criminals were neutralised and nearly 10,000 hostages rescued in multiple military operations across the country,? he said.

He recalled that In August, the leadership of Jama?atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (ANSARU), an Al-Qaeda affiliate in Nigeria, was captured in a major counter-terrorism operation.

Those arrested, according to him, include Mahmud Usman, also known as Abu Bara?a, the self-styled Emir of ANSARU, and his deputy, Mahmud al-Nigeri.

Idris also said Nigeria had successfully prosecuted seven batches of Boko Haram suspects, securing over 700 convictions, and had commenced its eighth prosecution cycle.

He added that the armed forces and police had demonstrated accountability by conducting several court martials and prosecutions to address misconduct within the ranks.

The minister stressed that Nigeria is a multi-religious state with large populations of both Christians and Muslims, noting that the current heads of the Armed Forces and Police Force were Christians.

?Christianity is neither endangered nor marginalised in Nigeria.

? It is doubtful that foreign interlopers into Nigeria?s affairs are aware that the current heads of both the Armed Forces and the Police Force are Christians, a fact that underscores the inclusivity of our national leadership,? he added.

He highlighted that in March, the inaugural Commonwealth Peace Prize was awarded to two Nigerian clerics, Rev. James Wuye and Imam Ashafa, for their decades-long work in promoting interfaith trust and tolerance.

He said the duo, co-founders of the Interfaith Mediation Centre, as a result of their interfaith tolerance, now serve as a model for peacebuilding in all 56 Commonwealth countries.

Idris urged international media and commentators to act responsibly, avoid sensationalism, and support Nigeria?s efforts against terrorism and other forms of criminality. (NAN)

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