“Muslim Lives Matter Too, No Ongoing Slaughter of Christians in Nigeria” — Presidency Tells U.S. Secretary

The Nigerian Presidency has dismissed claims by U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio alleging the “ongoing slaughter of thousands of Christians” by radical Islamists and Fulani militias in Nigeria.

Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, in a statement from Abuja on Saturday, described the reports as false and exaggerated. He said Secretary Rubio’s remarks misrepresented the country’s security realities and unfairly painted Nigeria as a site of religious genocide.

“The claim that thousands of Christians are being slaughtered in Nigeria is not true,” Onanuga stated. “Muslim lives matter too. The violence we face is not targeted at any one religion. Both Christians and Muslims, along with churches and mosques, have been victims of sporadic attacks by bandits and terrorists.”

Onanuga added that the security challenges in Nigeria have persisted for over a decade and stem from criminal and terrorist activities rather than religious persecution. He criticized the U.S. official’s comments as “a gross exaggeration of the Nigerian situation” amplified by misinformed social media narratives.

While commending the United States for its concern over Nigeria’s security, Onanuga emphasized that what the country needs from its international partners is military cooperation, not condemnation. “What our country requires from America is military support to fight these violent extremists in some states of our country, not designation as a nation of particular concern,” he said.