Just In: US Speaks on Alleged Genocide Against Christians in Nigeria, “Those Who Know the Terrain"

• The United States has denied allegations of an ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria, insisting terrorism affects both Christians and Muslims
• US envoy Massad Boulos said terrorist attacks in Nigeria cut across religion and ethnicity, stressing that Boko Haram and ISIS have killed more Muslims than Christians
• Boulos commended President Tinubu’s administration for improving security and urged Nigerians to avoid framing violent conflicts as religious crises

The United States Special Envoy for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos, has dismissed allegations of an ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria.

The US further insisted that terrorism in the country has affected both Christians and Muslims.

Boulos, who serves as a senior adviser to former US President Donald Trump, made the clarification during a visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Friday, October 17.

His statement comes amid pressure from some American lawmakers urging the US government to list Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians.

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The White House has yet to issue an official comment on the matter.

Terrorism affects all faiths, says Boulos

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Boulos stated that terrorist activities in Nigeria transcend religious and ethnic lines.

"Those people who are on the ground know that terrorism is religionless, colourless, and tribeless," he stated.

People of all faith and all nations are being killed because of terrorism. Boko Haram and ISIS have ended up killing more Muslims than Christians. People are suffering from every aspect of life. It is not one against another.

He went on to say that violent confrontations in the Middle Belt typically happen because of competition for resources and not religious intolerance.

It is not something that can be said to target any specific religious denomination," he added, Daily Trust reported.

US: Nigeria’s diversity not a cause for division

Boulos described Nigeria as a country rich in religious and ethnic diversity, with Muslims and Christians sharing nearly equal populations and a long history of coexistence.

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“This has never been a serious religious issue and should not be,” he noted.

The US envoy further commended the Tinubu administration for recent security measures that, according to him, are beginning to deliver positive results in curbing violent extremism and community conflicts.

Christian genocide claims gain global traction

The renewed international focus on alleged persecution of Christians followed Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s remarks at the recent United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Shettima had described the situation in Gaza as “heart-wrenching,” urging for an immediate ceasefire and a two-state solution that would guarantee Palestinian independence within UN-recognised territories.

He warned that continued disregard for international law only fuels propaganda and undermines global peace and stability.

Nnamdi Kanu protest: US releases security warning

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United States (US) embassy on Friday, October 16, issued a security advisory to American citizens ahead of the “Free Nnamdi Kanu Now” protest.

Legit.ng reports that diaspora-based Kanu founded the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a now-banned group in Nigeria. He was arrested in Kenya in 2021.

Source: Legit.ng