Based on the pattern of killings across Nigeria, it is unfair to say a particular group is being targeted, and there’s no justification for claims of Christian genocide.
American boxer Ryan Garcia recently raised concerns on Instagram about alleged killings of Christians in Nigeria, citing claims of genocide. His comments followed remarks by U.S. comedian Bill Maher, who told viewers of his HBO show that over 100,000 Christians had been killed and 18,000 churches destroyed by Islamist groups since 2009.
However, recent attacks across Nigeria show that victims cut across faiths. Hours before Maher’s broadcast, bandits stormed a mosque in Zamfara State, killing five worshippers. In August, 15 people, mostly Christians, were killed in Plateau State. Weeks earlier, 13 Muslim travellers were murdered in Kaduna, while 16 hunters returning for Sallah were ambushed in Edo State. In the South East, IPOB-linked militants have also targeted northern Muslims, including women and children.
Security experts argue that framing the crisis as Christian genocide is misleading. Retired DSS director Dr. Sulyman Abdulsalam noted that killings occur in mixed communities without religious labels, stressing that banditry is nationwide. A retired police commissioner called the genocide claim “a lie from the pit of hell,” insisting both Christians and Muslims are victims of terrorism.
The evidence suggests Nigeria’s insecurity crisis is not targeted at one religion but is a broader security failure affecting all communities.