Presidency refutes US Senator Ted Cruz’s claim of religious killings in Nigeria
By Kunle Sanni –
The Presidency has dismissed as “malicious” and “contrived lies” claims by United States Senator Ted Cruz that Nigerian officials are turning a blind eye to the mass killing of Christians in the country.
Cruz, in a post on X, alleged that Islamist jihadists are carrying out “mass murder of Christians” in Nigeria with the complicity of government officials. He said his proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act would impose sanctions on those responsible.
“Officials in Nigeria are ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists,” the U.S. lawmaker wrote. “It’s time to hold those responsible accountable.”
Responding on X, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, rejected the senator’s claims, insisting Nigeria is not engaged in any religious conflict.
“Senator, stop these malicious, contrived lies against my country. We do not have a religious war in Nigeria,” Onanuga stated.
He explained that terrorist and bandit groups in the country attack indiscriminately, without regard for religion or ethnicity.
“The degraded Boko Haram terrorists operating on the fringes of Nigeria’s North-East target everyone. They attack farmers, our soldiers,” he said. “The bandits in the North-West kill worshippers in their mosques. Christians are not singled out. We have religious harmony in our country.”
President Tinubu also addressed the matter earlier in the week, describing allegations of religious genocide in Nigeria as unfounded. Speaking in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the President stressed that Nigeria remains a nation built on faith, unity, and resilience, adding that no religion is under threat.
