The House of Representatives has dismissed the U.S. Senate’s claim describing Nigeria’s insecurity as g+nocide against Christians or state-sponsored p£rsecutiom, saying it misrepresents the country’s true situation.
The decision followed a motion by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, titled “Urgent Need for a Coordinated Diplomatic and Domestic Response to the Proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 (U.S. Senate Bill S.2747)”.
Kalu said the U.S. bill, introduced on September 9, 2025, which seeks to label Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” and impose sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act, is based on incomplete assessments.
He stressed that Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and that insec¥rity is multi-causal, driven by ins¥rgency, b+nditry, separatism, and communal clashes—not religion.
Lawmakers warned that the U.S. claim could undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty and strain diplomatic ties. Julius Ihonvbere called for swift diplomatic engagement, while Oluwole Oke described the claim as a “deliberate attempt to d+mage Nigeria’s image.”
The House reaffirmed constitutional religious freedom, condemned all forms of vi%lence, and rejected the U.S. Senate’s portrayal of Nigeria’s crisis.
It also directed the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Nigerian Embassy in Washington to lodge a diplomatic pr%test and present factual data to U.S. and international bodies.
