Nigeria’s House of Representatives has strongly rejected a recent resolution by the United States Senate describing the country’s security crisis as “genocide against Christians” or state-sponsored religious persecution.
Lawmakers unanimously adopted a motion on Wednesday, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, dismissing the US Senate’s characterisation as misleading and damaging to Nigeria’s image.
The motion directs relevant House committees to work with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C., and security agencies to file a formal diplomatic protest to the sponsors of the US bill within 21 days.
The US Senate resolution, known as the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025, seeks to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” and to impose targeted sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act. It accuses the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christian communities from deadly attacks and claims that thousands of churches have been destroyed and tens of thousands of Christians killed.
Speaking during the debate, Deputy Speaker Kalu said the US Senate’s position does not reflect the reality of Nigeria’s complex security challenges, which include terrorism, banditry, communal violence, and separatist agitations.
“Nigeria’s constitution guarantees religious freedom. What we are facing is not religious persecution by the state but a mix of security challenges affecting people of all faiths,” Kalu said. He warned that the US narrative, if unchallenged, could harm Nigeria’s sovereignty and international reputation.
House Leader Julius Ihonvbere added that Nigeria had “grown beyond issues of religion,” stressing that the country’s insecurity affects both Christians and Muslims.
The federal government has also formally rejected the US Senate’s claims. In a separate statement, the Ministry of Information described the allegations including figures of over 20,000 churches burned and 52,000 Christians killed as “false and unsubstantiated,” calling on US lawmakers to verify their sources.
Nigeria maintains that it remains committed to protecting all citizens regardless of religion, and that its security crisis should not be framed in sectarian terms.