By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The House of Representatives has dismissed as false and misleading the claim by the U.S. Senate that Nigeria is witnessing a “genocide against Christians” or engaging in state-sponsored religious persecution.
The resolution followed a motion by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu on Wednesday, in reaction to the U.S. Senate Bill 2747 and comments by Senator Riley Moore, who urged Washington to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and suspend arms sales over alleged persecution of Christians.
Kalu said the narrative misrepresents Nigeria’s complex security challenges, stressing that violence in the country is driven by terrorism, banditry, farmer-herder clashes, and communal conflicts, not religion.
“The House rejects narratives that frame Nigeria’s security crisis as religious or state-sponsored persecution,” he stated, adding that the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prohibits any state religion.
The lawmakers directed the Committees on Foreign Affairs, National Security, and Information to liaise with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria’s Embassy in Washington to file a diplomatic protest within 21 days.
Kalu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to religious freedom and peace, urging the United States to engage with verified local data before making policy pronouncements.
The House also called for stronger diplomatic engagement with the U.S. to preserve Nigeria’s image and sovereignty.
