- The Nigerian Senate has formed a 12-member ad hoc committee to respond to growing international concerns, especially from the United States, over alleged state-sponsored persecution and possible genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
- Announcing the move, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the committee’s position paper must be based on verifiable facts and statistics.
- The Senate also resolved to engage directly with the US Congress to correct what it described as misleading narratives portraying Nigeria’s security crisis as a Christian genocide
The Senate has established a 12-member ad hoc committee to address rising international concerns, particularly from the United States Government, over alleged state-sponsored persecution and possible genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
The decision followed a closed-door session on Tuesday, where lawmakers discussed the potential diplomatic and reputational impact of the allegations.
Announcing the committee, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the team would prepare a detailed position paper for both the Executive and the Senate, adding that it must be based on “verifiable facts and statistics.”
Earlier, the Senate resolved to engage directly with the US Congress to counter what it described as “misleading narratives portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a Christian genocide.”
The move followed a motion raised by Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South), which sparked a wider debate about how international partners interpret Nigeria’s internal security issues.
During deliberations, lawmakers warned that such claims, though sometimes well-intentioned, “grossly misinform international partners and damage Nigeria’s global image and economy.”
Akpabio proposed that a smaller Senate delegation visit the US for direct talks, saying, “There are misconceptions that need to be corrected. We are dealing with a complex terrorist threat and it’s important that our counterparts in the US understand that the violence affects both Christians and Muslims.”
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