Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, has strongly denied claims made by United States Senator Ted Cruz that Nigerian government officials are allowing or supporting the killing of Christians in the country.
Onanuga described the allegation as “malicious, contrived lies” and said there is no religious war taking place in Nigeria. His reaction came after Senator Cruz, a Republican from Texas, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Islamist jihadists were carrying out mass killings of Christians in Nigeria, with some level of support or silence from state authorities.
“Officials in Nigeria are ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists,” Senator Cruz claimed. He also pushed for the passage of his proposed law, the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act, which seeks to impose sanctions on Nigerian officials allegedly involved.
Responding on X, Onanuga firmly dismissed the senator’s statements, accusing him of spreading falsehoods that could damage Nigeria’s image.
“Senator, stop these malicious, contrived lies against my country. We do not have a religious war in Nigeria,” Onanuga wrote.
He explained that terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and bandits operating in the northern parts of the country attack all citizens, regardless of religion.
“The degraded Boko Haram terrorists operating on the fringes of Nigeria’s North East target everyone. They attack farmers, soldiers, women and children,” Onanuga said. “The bandits in the North West kill worshippers in their mosques. Christians are not targeted. We have religious harmony in our country.”
President Tinubu also weighed in on the matter during a public appearance in Owerri, Imo State, on Tuesday. The president dismissed the idea of religious persecution in Nigeria, saying such claims are unfounded.
Speaking during a civic event, Tinubu said, “Nigeria is built on the faith and resilience of its people. No religion is under threat in our land. After 65 years of independence, we have come to appreciate and respect our religious and cultural diversity.”
The president urged both local and international observers not to promote divisive narratives that could further inflame tensions.
Nigeria has faced ongoing security challenges, especially in the North, where Boko Haram and various armed groups have launched deadly attacks. While some attacks have affected Christian communities, many Muslims have also been victims.
Religious and civil society groups have repeatedly urged the government to protect all citizens, regardless of faith, and to tackle insecurity with urgency. However, foreign accusations, like those from Senator Cruz, have often triggered diplomatic pushback from Nigerian officials who insist that the violence is more complex and not based solely on religion.
Onanuga and the presidency maintain that while Nigeria is facing security problems, portraying the situation as a religious genocide is misleading and harmful.
