Nigeria has rejected recent claims by the U.S. Congress alleging Christian persecution in the country, calling the accusations misleading and failing to reflect the complex security situation on the ground.
The response came after U.S. Congressman Chris Smith urged the Biden administration to redesignate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) over what he called “seemingly endless violence against Christians.”
In a statement on Friday, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the violence in the country was not religiously motivated but rather a result of broader insecurity.
“The majority of insurgency and banditry-related incidents in the predominantly Muslim northern region of Nigeria do not specifically target followers of any faith or religion,” the ministry said.
Nigeria was previously added to the CPC list in 2020 under then-President Donald Trump but was removed in 2021 by the Biden administration. A CPC designation could lead to U.S. sanctions if endorsed by the State Department.
