The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has rejected claims of an ongoing genocide against Christians in Nigeria, calling the allegation “politics taken too far.”
Speaking on Politics Tonight on Channels Television on Monday, Wike said there was no justification for insinuations that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was tolerating the killing of Christians. He described the accusation, reportedly pushed by the U.S. President Donald Trump and some international groups, as a deliberate attempt to incite division and misrepresent the country’s security situation.
Wike said it was “unthinkable” to suggest that the government would support religious persecution, noting that several key positions in the nation’s security architecture are occupied by Christians. “The Inspector General of Police is a Christian, the Director-General of State Security is a Christian. Today, the Chief of Defence is a Christian; the former Chief of Defence was a Christian. The Secretary to the Government is a Christian. Now tell me, how can any right-thinking person in government support the killing of our own people? That’s why I said it is politics taken too far,” he said.
He further defended President Tinubu’s record on inclusivity, arguing that it would be impossible for the President, whose wife is a senior pastor, to condone any form of religious bias or persecution. “Not this President, whose wife is a senior pastor, will ever shut his eyes and do nothing if any religion is being wiped out. Certainly not,” he said.
The FCT Minister also highlighted the administration’s sustained investment in fighting terrorism across the country, insisting that Tinubu’s government has devoted more resources to national security than any of its predecessors. “As I speak to you, I don’t know any government that has spent more resources in taming terrorism than this one,” he said.
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According to Wike, terrorism in Nigeria has never been about religion, as both Christians and Muslims have suffered heavy losses in the hands of violent groups. “Terrorists are killing Christians, terrorists are killing Muslims, terrorists are killing non-believers. Nobody would be happy over the death of anybody. No right-thinking leader will ever rejoice that people are dying,” he stated.
Recalling the 2023 general election, Wike said his decision to back Tinubu despite controversy over the Muslim-Muslim ticket was based on the President’s character and record of religious tolerance. “One of the reasons some of us supported him, when people raised the issue of a Muslim-Muslim ticket, was because we knew the kind of person he is. He is not an extremist. That’s why he was able to say, ‘I’m marrying a Christian,’” Wike said.
His remarks come amid a diplomatic storm following Trump’s threats to cut aid to Nigeria and prepare for possible U.S. military action over alleged persecution of Christians. The Nigerian government has repeatedly dismissed the claims, describing them as unfounded and politically motivated.
