The Nigerian Senate is taking steps to engage members of the United States Congress over what it describes as misleading claims portraying the country’s security crisis as a “Christian genocide.” The decision follows a motion by Senator Ali Ndume, which led to a broader discussion on how international bodies perceive Nigeria’s internal security challenges. Lawmakers raised concerns that such reports, though sometimes well-intentioned, are misinforming global partners and harming Nigeria’s image and economy.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio proposed the creation of an ad hoc committee to visit Washington and directly engage U.S. lawmakers to clarify the situation. He also suggested holding a closed-door executive session to discuss the matter further and finalize the delegation’s composition. Akpabio emphasized that Nigeria’s security challenges are not religiously driven, noting that terrorism and banditry have affected both Christians and Muslims across the country.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim highlighted the need for knowledge-based strategies in tackling insecurity, stressing that the upcoming National Security Summit will focus on locally developed solutions rather than foreign assumptions. The motion cited several attacks across different states to show the non-sectarian nature of the violence. Given the sensitivity of the issue, the Senate agreed to revisit the motion in an executive
