Some key Nigerian individuals are only just reacting to US Senator Ted Cruz declaring that Christians in Nigeria are facing a “mass murder”. The Republican senator pressed for U.S. intervention, and the world took notice.
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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) says Christians in the North and Middle Belt have been targeted for years, perhaps even decades. The Presidency disagrees, though, and counters that there is no genocide, and no religious group is being targeted.
The issue is this: Genocide, ethic cleansing, terrorism, and killings are all the same thing, whatever you choose to call it. People are dying, and the Federal Government is more interested in calling it “the right name” instead of doing something about it.
What Are They Arguing About? And Does it Matter?
On one side, you have CAN arguing there is a genocidal pattern. On the other side, you have the Presidency disputing the word “genocide,” insisting the violence is multifaceted and not based purely on religion.
Both sides’ positions have merit, as terrorist groups are always going on regular rampages and leaving mayhem in their wake. This mayhem has sometimes been targeted at Christian communities in the North.
However, that mayhem has also affected Northern muslim communities as well. The game FG is playing, through the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, is senseless. The Presidency is avoiding the issue, and intentionally so.
These back-and-forths might make for dramatic headlines, but the debate is semantic. Because what really matters is: Are the killings stopping? Are communities being protected? Are perpetrators being held to account? No. On all counts.
When the official stance is: “No genocide,” it can come across as deflection, especially for rural communities that have to face the ugly reality of these attacks. These communities lose loved ones regularly, only to see political headlines making the rounds.
Why the Label Diverts Focus from the Real Issue
1. Much needed action is not taken
If the government spends more time denying a “genocide” than strengthening security and delivering justice, then lives are put on hold waiting for definitions.
2. International Implications
If Nigeria is labelled a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) or targeted under U.S. legislation because of religious persecution, then foreign governments may step in, which is Cruz’s intention. These foreign interventions will bring unwanted influence.
3. Oversimplification of Complex Violence
Nigeria’s violence is layered. It’s farmer-herder clashes, ethnic and communal fights, jihadist terror, and banditry all mix together. Labeling only one group as the victim may mislead and ignore other victims. This is not what CAN is doing, but some key stakeholders are.
4. Victims Are Waiting
For those in flash-point zones in the Middle Belt or North, they don’t care what word we use. They care whether help is coming, whether their families are safe, whether they’ll bury loved ones, whether they’ll see justice. By the time we finish arguing over what to call it, another community will almost definitely be gone.
The U.S. Angle: Why Nigeria Must Be Careful
When a U.S. senator asserts Nigeria is a site of “Christian genocide,” it invites foreign action. It might look like mere diplomatic pressure, but it can also invite military presence, bases, or geopolitical influence. The “CPC” label means a country is of special concern for religious freedom violations. The U.S. uses it as a route to intervene and apply sanctions.
And the reason Nigeria may need international interference is because FG has done nothing. Nothing to bring perpetrators to book. Nothing to protect these vulnerable communities. FG has instead “advised’ – and this isn’t a joke – residents in these areas to “learn self defense”. I know!
For us, accepting U.S. intervention or heavy oversight will undermine sovereignty. Especially because it gives the impression that the country cannot handle its own crisis.
Foreign military bases can turn into long-term external influence, not just short-term help. This will almost certainly link to domestic politics and social structures being shaped by outside actors.
So yes, the government must act. And now. But we must also guard how much control it hands to foreign powers in the name of “help.”
It Has Gone On For Long Enough
I don’t live in the North, or in the middle belt, but I have been working in news media for close to a decade. I am too familiar with the headlines the CAN president is speaking about. It’s not recent. FG seems swift and severe in dealing with cyber fraud regarding civilians. There’s no shortage of security personnel to deal with the terrorism happening in these affected areas. The reason these killings have persisted is strongly tied to FG not considering it a serious enough issue. These kidnappers and terrorists have been emboldened, mainly because consequences have not arrived. Yet.
Conclusion: Words Are Cheap, Lives Aren’t
It’s high time Nigeria moved past whether we call it “genocide” and asks what we will do now. Because those communities in Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Niger, and elsewhere don’t need a label, they need action. Lightening-fast action.
FG needs to forget about whatever Cruz said, or what they think CAN is implying, and face the facts: Terrorists are killing Nigerians regularly. Nigerians are losing their loved ones every day. The Ministry of Interior, headed by Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, should reach out to affected communities, find out what these vulnerable communities need. Other than added security, that’s a given.
US Government involvement is not altogether bad, but it becomes a problem when it’s unchecked. This means that the Nigeria government has to be careful about where they involve Donald Trump and his buddies.
If the government spends its energy arguing with religious bodies, or polishing its reputation overseas, while hundreds of people are killed and displaced each month, then the inconsistency becomes betrayal.
Nigeria needs truth-in-action, not truth-in-headlines. And it needs to make sure that when the U.S. or any foreign actor says “we’re stepping in,” it’s on Nigeria’s terms, not as a takeover.
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