Claims of targeted Christian killings in Northern Nigeria Unfounded – AU Chair tackles Trump
Claims of targeted Christian killings in Northern Nigeria Unfounded – AU Chair tackles Trump
Mahmoud Youssouf, chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, has dismissed allegations that Christians are being specifically targeted and killed in northern Nigeria.
Addressing journalists at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Youssouf said the security situation in northern Nigeria is complex and cannot be characterised as Christian genocide. He stressed that contrary to the claims circulating globally, Boko Haram’s earliest victims were Muslims.
“The first victims of Boko Haram are Muslims, not Christians. And I’m saying it with documented references,” he said.
He cautioned that the nature of the crisis in northern Nigeria should not be oversimplified.
“The complexity of northern part of Nigeria should not be taken that easily. So what we are saying to those statements (Christian genocide claims) is that the African continent is very complex.
“It is not that easy to describe these situations with such very easy words that can be used in not reasonable way.
“That is why the AU commission is very clear about that. We have made it clear in our statement and communique and we would like to stress again that there is no genocide in northern Nigeria.”
Youssouf’s comments follow a wave of claims—particularly in U.S. political circles—asserting that Christians in Nigeria are facing systematic and targeted killings.
Several American lawmakers recently urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to take swift action against Nigeria over what they described as the “systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians.”
Former U.S. President Donald Trump also labelled Nigeria a “country of particular concern (CPC)” and warned the Nigerian government to “better move fast,” threatening to halt all U.S. support and even deploy the war department to confront terrorists “that attack our cherished Christians.”
While the Nigerian government has consistently rejected accusations of Christian persecution, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) maintains that Christian communities have suffered frequent and brutal attacks.
