Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has accused former United States President Donald Trump of lying to the world by claiming that a “Christian genocide” is taking place in Nigeria. Falana said Trump’s allegation that thousands of Christians are being systematically killed in the country is false and not supported by evidence.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Falana said that while insecurity remains a major issue in Nigeria, the violence affecting many communities has little to do with religion. Instead, he explained, it is driven by criminality, land disputes, and resource struggles.
“My position is that Mr. Trump has lied to the whole world by alleging Christian genocide in Nigeria without any evidence to back it up,” Falana said. “He said about 3,100 Christians have been killed in Nigeria. When you look at the reality on the ground, the killers — whether terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, or armed robbers — do not care about your religion. Many of them are only after ransom or resources. So, it’s not about religion.”
Falana’s comments come amid renewed diplomatic tension after Trump publicly warned that he had directed the U.S. Defence Department to prepare for possible military action against Nigeria, claiming the Nigerian government was “allowing the killing of Christians.”
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria said Trump’s statements reflect a deeper bias and hostility toward Africa, accusing the former U.S. leader of using false narratives to push a geopolitical agenda.
“I know him, I know his antics, I know his hatred for Africa,” Falana said. “This matter is about the resources of our country. The same people promoting this debate are saying, ‘let’s cut China to size in Africa.’ We must look at the geopolitical considerations behind this.”
Falana added that Trump’s view of Africa has long been dismissive, recalling the former U.S. President’s description of African nations as “sh*thole countries.”
“Mr. Trump doesn’t regard us as anything at all; Nigeria and South Africa. For him, we are either a sh*thole country or a disgraceful country,” Falana said.
He noted that the portrayal of Nigeria as a place of religious persecution could further damage the country’s global image, discourage foreign investment, and distort the true nature of its security challenges.
Nigeria has battled multiple security crises in recent years, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and farmer-herder clashes. Although some attacks have targeted churches or mosques, analysts say the violence is not purely religious but rooted in deeper economic and social tensions.
In regions such as Benue and Plateau States, Falana said conflicts are mostly about land and grazing rights rather than faith. “Those who are killing there are either killing to expropriate land, or killing to feed their animals,” he explained.
The lawyer highlighted that both Christians and Muslims have been victims of violence. According to him, categorising the conflict as a genocide against Christians oversimplifies a complex problem and fuels unnecessary religious tension.
Over the years, terrorist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP have targeted both Christians and Muslims, bombing mosques and churches alike. Similarly, bandits operating in the North-West often kidnap victims regardless of their religion, demanding ransom payments from poor families and communities.
Falana’s statement aligns with reports from international human rights organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, which have described Nigeria’s insecurity as a mix of terrorism, criminality, and resource conflict, not a religious war.
While reacting to Trump’s call for possible U.S. military intervention, Falana urged the Federal Government not to “lose sleep” over the remarks. Instead, he advised the government to focus on fixing its own weaknesses in security management.
“Instead of losing sleep over Trump’s statement, the government has a duty to look inwards; where have we made errors?” Falana said. “If our security system were functioning effectively, no one would have the moral ground to accuse us of allowing mass killings.”
He said the Nigerian government must strengthen intelligence gathering, reform law enforcement agencies, and prioritise the welfare of security personnel if it wants to end recurring violence across the country.
According to Falana, part of the reason foreign powers make such allegations is because the Nigerian government has failed to communicate accurate information about its security situation. He urged the authorities to engage more actively with international partners to counter false narratives.
Donald Trump’s comments about a supposed Christian genocide in Nigeria are not new. During his presidency between 2017 and 2021, Trump frequently referred to Nigeria as one of the most dangerous places for Christians.
In 2020, his administration classified Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act, citing alleged violations of religious freedom. However, the Biden administration later removed Nigeria from the list in 2021, saying there was insufficient evidence to justify the designation.
Falana, however, warned that such political posturing comes at the expense of truth and could inflame divisions in multi-religious societies like Nigeria. “We cannot allow people like Trump to define our reality,” he said. “Our leaders must defend the truth about our country.”
Trump’s threat of military action has not been officially addressed by the Nigerian government, but foreign policy analysts say the claim is unlikely to result in any real military move. Still, it has raised questions about Nigeria’s international image and the need to manage its relationship with major global powers.
In recent years, the Federal Government has worked to strengthen ties with both Western and Asian countries to attract investment and tackle insecurity. However, critics argue that persistent reports of corruption, weak governance, and human rights violations have made Nigeria vulnerable to external criticism.
Falana called on the Nigerian government to take control of its narrative by promoting transparency and demonstrating real progress in its fight against insecurity. “We must show the world that Nigeria is capable of solving its own problems,” he said.
