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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has rejected claims by two Catholic clergymen alleging targeted persecution of Christians in Nigeria, calling the narrative “inaccurate and unfair.”
On March 12, Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and Rev. Fr. Remigius Ihyula testified before the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, accusing militant groups of killing and displacing Christian farmers in Benue.
“They steal and vandalise, they kill and boast about it, they kidnap and rape, and they enjoy total impunity from the elected authorities,” Anagbe told the committee, alleging that “none of them have been arrested and brought to justice.”
The clergymen also claimed there was an “ongoing campaign of Islamisation” in Nigeria and accused government officials of threatening them. Anagbe alleged that he had been warned by the foreign ministry to “watch his words.”
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The US Mission in Nigeria responded with concern over reports of intimidation, stating: “No one should be subject to threats for exercising [freedom of expression].”
However, in a statement on Saturday, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said the testimonies oversimplified Nigeria’s complex security challenges and painted a misleading picture.
“The reality is that Nigeria is battling multiple threats—banditry, terrorism, and organized crime—which cut across religious and ethnic lines,” Ebienfa said.
He added that while the government acknowledges the concerns raised, it “firmly rejects the portrayal of the situation as an Islamist extermination of Christians.”
The ministry affirmed its commitment to protecting all citizens and pledged to investigate any credible threats, while urging international partners to avoid divisive narratives and work collaboratively for peace.
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