*GENOCIDE OR TERRORISM? – The Unfortunate Politicization of the Killings in Nigeria’s Northern and Central Regions*

(By Dr. Ope Banwo, Mayor of Fadeyi and Founder, Naija Lives Matter)

In recent weeks, the headlines have grown louder: claims that Christians in Nigeria are facing an organised genocide, or that the government is complicit in a religious campaign of extermination. Much of this narrative has become deeply politicised.

Yet, when we step back and look carefully, the picture is more complex — and we do ourselves no favours by flattening it into a “Muslims killing Christians” story.

*First: let us acknowledge the ugly reality*.

Terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have killed countless civilians — Christian and Muslim alike — in northern and central Nigeria.

The violence is real, brutal, and undeniable. There are documented attacks on churches, priests, and school children — no doubt.

However — and this is crucial — the evidence does not support the claim that there is a state-led or state-allowed targeted genocide of Christians. The term “genocide,” by definition, refers to the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a protected group by the state or with its complicity. In Nigeria:

• ⁠The victims of insurgency and communal violence include both Christians and Muslims, though we definitely have many Christian-targeted attacks by the terrorists.

• Many of the conflicts are about land, resources, ethnicity, herder-farmer clashes, and criminal banditry — not simply religion.

• ⁠The government has publicly rejected the notion of a Christian genocide. Although it has not been able to decisively deal with the menace, the government has been fighting the terrorists for months — though evidently, it is neither winning the “war” nor throwing enough resources at it as it should.

*The ‘Almost’ Coup Nobody Wants to Acknowledge*

Truth be told — and most partisans would want to deny it — the government has been too busy dealing with attempted or phantom coups within the military and trying to survive its internal problems, which it has not been candid enough to publicly admit. This distraction has also degraded our ability to decisively deal with the terrorists on our shores.

The whole “coup or no coup” drama within our military is directly impacting our ability to maintain a unified force to tackle this terrorist menace.

*My Honest Opinion about all this genocide claims*

In my opinion, these facts must be acknowledged to understand that what we are witnessing is terrorism combined with state weakness: armed groups striking indiscriminately, the state struggling to keep up, a military with divided loyalties, and some communities suffering more than others — but not a government-orchestrated extermination of Christians.

From the Middle Belt to the North, in central Nigeria, some assaults appear to target Christian-majority villages — and this must be taken seriously. But simultaneously, there are Muslim victims, Muslim-on-Muslim violence, and ethnic-based wars.

As a Christian myself, I believe the label “genocide” in this context is dangerous. Why? Because using it without robust proof risks polarising communities further, fueling fear, and inviting foreign intervention or escalation when what is needed is local healing, security reform, and inclusive governance.

We must press the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu — as Donald Trump just did — to act more decisively: protect every citizen regardless of faith; dismantle terror networks; strengthen law enforcement; and promote reconciliation.

And we, as citizens, must resist politicised narratives — whether from home or abroad — that reduce the tragedy to “us versus them.”

Yes: Christians are being killed. Yes: churches are attacked. Yes: the suffering is terrible. But yes also: Muslims too. Yes: rural farmers, herders, and ethnic minorities too. The correct description is terrorism and communal violence, exacerbated by weak state capacity — not a tidy inter-religious genocide.

Also, our government should stop pretending that it can handle these sophisticated and resilient terrorists on its own when it is obvious that it cannot, since the killings are still ongoing. As a nation, we must also learn when to swallow our pride and demand that President Tinubu formally invite foreign help if we cannot deal with the situation — even as we must continue to 100% oppose any unilateral interference in our internal affairs by Donald Trump or any other foreign power without an official invitation from our government.

Let us speak truthfully, soberly, and bravely — not to downplay suffering, but to seek realistic solutions. Because if we leap to misdiagnosis, the cure may kill the patient. Nigeria cannot afford that.

Please listen to the video below, which I consider the most balanced report from CNN’s Africa correspondent correcting the wrong “Christian genocide” narrative that Donald Trump is pushing in Nigeria.

*Dr. Ope Banwo*
Mayor of Fadeyi
Founder, Naija Lives Matter