A Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says claims of a targeted genocide against Christians in Nigeria are false.
Mohammed stated this in the United Kingdom while fielding questions from students of Abbey College, Cambridgeon Wednesday, April 21.
Responding to a question on alleged religious persecution especially against Christians, the former minister said Nigeria’s security challenges are complex and not driven by a deliberate campaign to eliminate any faith.
“There should be more understanding on the part of the developed world. Now, people say that there is religious persecution in Nigeria and that there is genocide against Christians. It’s not true. It is fake news,” he said.
Nigeria as a country has challenges that will not be resolved by genocide against any religion.”
Mohammed said Boko Haram initially emerged as a movement targeting Muslims who embraced western education, adding that early victims were largely Muslims.
“At the beginning, the victims of Boko Haram were largely Muslims, not Christians. Boko Haram started as a revolt by extreme Muslims against conventional Muslims like me. Look at the meaning of Boko Haram — ‘haram’ means forbidden or illicit, ‘boko’ means Western education. So for Boko Haram, I, Lai Mohammed, having gone to school, I am an enemy.”
The former minister said the group later expanded its attacks to Christians, partly to attract wider attention.
“They realised that Muslims killing one another doesn’t gain traction. When Muslims start k!lling Christians, it causes an uproar. That is the honest truth,” he said.
He also refuted claims that banditry in Nigeria is driven by religion.
“The bandits are Muslims, they are Hausa-Fulanis. Their victims are Muslims; they are Hausa-Fulanis. So how can you now talk about religion? It has nothing to do with religion” he said
Mohammed noted that records show Muslims account for the largest number of victims of insurgent attacks in Nigeria.
“We have a spirit of religious tolerance in Nigeria and I challenge anyone to say that it is not true. People can hide under anything to commit crime but one, it is not a policy. Number two, the average Nigerian is not bothered about your religion or ethnicity.
In Nigeria, the average Muslim and Christian, they only disagree over money. They won’t disagree over theology. They are more concerned about the economy and ways of life. That is why you have many Christians marrying Muslims and vice versa.
Look at our president, Bola Tinubu. He is a Muslim while the wife is a leader of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG). That is the Nigeria I know and I am very proud of.
So, this narrative about Christian genocide, it is not true and we must vigorously use public communication to challenge it.
