The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, has dismissed claims by US Senator Ted Cruz, television host Bill Maher, and political commentator Van Jones that Nigeria was experiencing a “Christian genocide.”
In a statement shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, titled “Debunking the Genocide Frenzy by Senator Ted Cruz, Bill Maher, Van Jones et al,” Dare described the allegations as false, misleading, and capable of sowing division.
He accused the foreign commentators of “orchestrating wild allegations about an unproven ongoing genocide,” urging Nigerians and the international community to reject attempts to “robe the country with a garment that is not hers.”
Dare maintained that Nigeria remains a multi-religious nation built on tolerance, coexistence, and mutual respect among all faiths—values he said are embodied by President Tinubu.
Quoting the President, Dare reiterated that Nigeria is “a proud, sovereign nation built on the faith and resilience of its people,” adding that “no faith is under siege and no community is excluded.”
He also cited Tinubu’s consistent advocacy for unity and religious freedom, emphasizing that “outsiders must not sow division among Nigerians.”
Highlighting Tinubu’s personal life as an example of religious tolerance, Dare noted that the President, a Muslim, is married to a Christian pastor.
“Hate is not an option for us. Love is what we preach, and we should love one another,” he quoted the President as saying.
Dare argued that the “Christian genocide” narrative grossly misrepresents Nigeria’s security challenges, explaining that the country is contending with terrorism and banditry driven by chaos and profit, not religion.
“These extremists target civilians indiscriminately — churches, mosques, markets, schools, and villages — killing Nigerians of every faith and ethnicity,” he said, warning that framing the crisis as a religious war only emboldens terrorists and undermines national unity.
He urged Cruz, Maher, and others to engage with verified facts before amplifying falsehoods that malign Nigeria and embolden extremists.
“The truth remains simple,” Dare concluded. “Nigeria is not witnessing a Christian genocide; it is confronting terrorism that targets everyone. And whoever alleges must prove.”
Cruz, during a recent podcast with Bill Maher, had alleged that Christians in Nigeria were being systematically targeted and killed, a view echoed by Maher and Van Jones.
Their comments have drawn strong reactions from the Federal Government, which insisted that the violence in Nigeria stemmed from terrorism and criminality, not religion.
