Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has dismissed claims that Christians are being subjected to genocide in Nigeria, insisting that the country’s security challenges are not rooted in religious persecution.
Speaking during an interview with CBN News in Washington, D.C., Senator Tinubu said the wave of violence across parts of the country is driven largely by poverty, terrorism, and political instability rather than a targeted campaign against any particular faith group.
Her remarks come amid renewed scrutiny from some members of the United States Congress who have raised concerns about attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria. However, the First Lady cautioned against framing the crisis as a religious war, warning that such characterisation could inflame tensions and strengthen extremist narratives.
According to her, Nigeria’s security situation is complex and multifaceted, involving criminal gangs, insurgent groups, and communal conflicts that cut across religious and ethnic lines. She stressed that reducing the violence to a single religious dimension oversimplifies the realities on the ground and risks deepening divisions.
Senator Tinubu further emphasised the need for international partners to understand the broader socio-economic drivers of insecurity, including unemployment and weak local governance structures.
Addressing these root causes, she argued, would be more effective in restoring peace than promoting labels that could polarise communities.
She reaffirmed the Nigerian government’s commitment to protecting all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity, and called for collaborative efforts to tackle insecurity in a way that promotes unity rather than discord.
