Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, has insisted that there is nothing like religious genocide in Nigeria, dismissing the allegation as false, misleading, and dangerous to the country’s unity.
He said those spreading such claims were either misinformed or acting out of frustration, warning that their statements could cause unnecessary tension both within and outside Nigeria.
Sule, who was reacting to recent reports in the United States alleging that Christians were being targeted and killed in parts of Nigeria, explained that such allegations were based on wrong information given to some American lawmakers by Nigerians living abroad.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Monday, the governor said Nigeria’s internal security challenges were often wrongly portrayed as religious crises, when in fact they stemmed from misinformation and misrepresentation.
“While I was living in the US, in Houston to be specific, we often interacted with American congress members like Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. They would ask, ‘What are the problems in your country? How can I help?’ Most likely, that’s what happened in this case. A congressman got information from Nigerians living there,” he said.
According to him, the misunderstanding could be corrected through proper diplomatic discussions.
“I’m happy to see that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has committed to meeting with President Trump, and I’m sure we can resolve this diplomatically,” Sule added.
The governor maintained that no religion was being persecuted in Nigeria, describing the genocide claim as a product of politics and misinformation.
“There is definitely nothing like religious genocide in Nigeria. These claims often come from politicians or frustrated individuals who don’t understand the consequences of their statements.
“When you go to the root of most conflicts, you find they are not as presented. Everybody knows there is no genocide of any religion anywhere in Nigeria,” Sule said.
He urged Nigerians abroad to avoid spreading unverified reports about the country, stressing that such actions could damage Nigeria’s image and create diplomatic misunderstandings.
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