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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senate has commissioned a 12-member ad hoc committee to prepare a detailed position paper in response to mounting international concerns, particularly from the United States, alleging systematic persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The resolution was reached during a closed-door session where lawmakers deliberated extensively on recent claims by the U.S. government suggesting that Christians in some parts of Nigeria may be facing state-backed acts of genocide.
At the meeting, senators agreed that the matter had serious diplomatic and reputational implications for Nigeria and must be addressed with facts and clarity.
Members of the committee include Senators Victor Umeh, Yemi Adaramodu, Aniekan Bassey, Niyi Adegbonmire, Abdul Ningi, Titus Zam, Tony Nwoye, Tahir Munguno, Asuquo Ekpenyong, among others.
The committee is expected to produce a comprehensive document articulating Nigeria’s legislative position for presentation to both the Executive and the Senate. The report will also serve as a guide in Nigeria’s engagements with international partners and discussions on religious freedom.
Announcing the decision, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the position paper must be “rooted in verifiable data and accurate statistics,” stressing the importance of presenting a credible national narrative.
Last Thursday, the Senate had resolved to engage directly with the U.S. Congress to correct what it described as “misleading narratives” portraying Nigeria’s internal security crisis as a campaign of Christian genocide.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Ali Ndume and 20 others, titled “Urgent Need to Correct Misconceptions Regarding the Purported Christian Genocide Narrative in Nigeria and in the International Community.”
In his lead debate, Ndume drew attention to ongoing discussions in the U.S. Senate and Congress on Nigeria’s religious freedom, including proposals to re-designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern.”
He cited the introduction of the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who claimed the legislation was intended to protect Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria by holding accountable officials who allegedly promote jihadist violence and the enforcement of blasphemy laws.
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According to Senator Cruz, “Nigerian Christians are being targeted and executed for their faith by Islamist terrorist groups, and are being forced to submit to sharia law and blasphemy laws across Nigeria. It is long past time to impose real costs on the Nigerian officials who facilitate these activities, and my Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act uses new and existing tools to do exactly that. I urge my colleagues to advance this critical legislation expeditiously.”
He further claimed that “religious persecution and violence against Christians and other religious minorities in Nigeria is endemic, driven in significant part by Islamist jihadism and institutionalised sharia law in large parts of the country.”
But Ndume countered that while Nigeria must take international concerns seriously, such discussions must reflect balanced realities. He maintained that Nigeria’s insecurity was not defined by religion but by “a complex mix of terrorism, criminality, and socio-economic factors affecting both Christians and Muslims.”
The lawmaker warned that the continued circulation of narratives alleging an ongoing “Christian genocide”, often amplified by advocacy groups, foreign media, and religious networks, risked oversimplifying Nigeria’s internal challenges and worsening sectarian mistrust.
He said: “While these concerns may arise from genuine sympathy, they risk creating damaging perceptions about Nigeria’s unity and security landscape.”
However, the Senate did not immediately adopt Ndume’s recommendations. Following inputs from some senators, Senate President Akpabio called for a more comprehensive, evidence-based internal discussion.
Akpabio noted that insecurity affected all regions of Nigeria in different forms; from insurgency in the North-East to banditry in the North-West and secessionist violence in the South-East.
“Muslims have lost their lives the same way Christians have lost theirs,” Akpabio said. “We must have an exhaustive deliberation in a closed-door session to come up with a strategy to approach the issue.”
Consequently, the Senate resolved to step down further debate on the motion and hold detailed deliberations on the matter in a closed-door session to be held on the next legislative day.
The committee is expected to produce a document which will show Nigeria’s official position and contribute to ongoing international engagements aimed at addressing the country’s security challenges and realities.
