The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a strong rebuke against the United States, accusing recent pronouncements from Washington of dangerously inciting opportunistic violent groups within the country.
U.S. Rhetoric and Security Consequences
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, stated that comments by U.S. President Donald Trump on Nigeria's security situation are having an unintended, negative effect. He revealed that these international narratives are being exploited by extremist factions to stage renewed attacks on soft targets.
Akume insisted that before this latest wave of commentary, Nigeria had significantly degraded the insurgency. He emphasized that what the nation needs from global partners, especially the U.S., is collaboration through intelligence, technology, and equipment, rather than public labelling that distorts the country's complex security realities.
Debunking the Genocide Narrative
In a firm denial, the SGF refuted allegations of a Christian genocide occurring in Nigeria. He stressed that groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have historically attacked both churches and mosques, killing Christians, Muslims, and traditionalists indiscriminately.
He specifically addressed his home state of Benue, asserting that even there, the situation does not constitute genocide. Akume warned that misrepresenting the crisis as a religious genocide against Christians is counterproductive. "This misrepresentation fuels religious tension, emboldens extremist and criminal factions, creates diplomatic friction, and undermines Nigeria's longstanding efforts to build constructive international security partnerships," he said.
Root Causes of Regional Violence
Akume provided a detailed analysis of the drivers of violence across different regions. He reiterated that the initial rise of Boko Haram and ISWAP was fueled by the 2011 collapse of Libya and instability in Egypt, which opened trafficking corridors for extremist groups and weapons.
Regarding banditry in the North-West, the SGF was unequivocal. "All credible analyses point to economic roots," he stated, listing the primary causes:
- Competition for land and water resources
- Cattle rustling
- Illegal mining of gold and other minerals
- Kidnapping-for-ransom and extortion
He concluded that these economic pressures, not religious motives, explain the persistence of violence in that region. Furthermore, Akume highlighted Nigeria's secular constitutional status and the religious balance in President Bola Tinubu's appointments to the Federal Executive Council and National Security Council as proof of the government's commitment to diversity.
