Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser on Policy Communication to President Bola Tinubu, attributed the recent surge in allegations of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria to the country’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, especially its condemnation of civilian casualties in Gaza.
In an interview with France24 in Paris, Bwala explained that this narrative gained momentum shortly after Vice-President Kashim Shettima, acting on behalf of President Tinubu at the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, reaffirmed Nigeria’s endorsement of a two-state solution as the only viable route to lasting peace between Israel and Palestine.
Shettima emphasized that Nigeria “rejects the endless debate over the sanctity of human life,” underscoring that “a two-state solution remains the most honorable and sustainable way forward for the Palestinian people.”
Bwala highlighted that within a day of Shettima’s address, certain Western media personalities and politicians began circulating unfounded accusations of Christian persecution in Nigeria. “Following Nigeria’s condemnation of the atrocities in Gaza, these false narratives quickly emerged. Notably, U.S. comedian Bill Maher was among the first to amplify the Christian genocide rhetoric,” he remarked.
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He further criticized American lawmakers, including Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Riley Moore, for basing their claims on “inconsistent and misleading” information. Cruz recently proposed legislation purportedly designed to protect “persecuted Christians in Nigeria,” while Moore petitioned U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to impose sanctions on the Nigerian government.
Bwala categorically rejected these allegations as politically driven, emphasizing that Nigeria’s security challenges affect all religious and ethnic groups alike. “We firmly deny the existence of any orchestrated genocide in Nigeria. While security issues persist, those pushing this religious persecution narrative aim solely to sow division among Nigerians,” he asserted.
He accused certain Western entities of intentionally magnifying these genocide claims to undermine the Tinubu administration’s achievements in economic stabilization and security enhancement. “This is a contrived storyline by some Western actors unwilling to witness Nigeria’s progress in economic and security reforms,” Bwala added.
The Nigerian Federal Government has consistently refuted accusations of targeted religious violence, affirming that its counterterrorism initiatives are impartial and directed at all violent offenders, regardless of their faith or ethnicity.