‘Nigeria’s Insecurity Not Driven By Religion’, AGF Fagbemi Tells US Delegation

Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has dismissed claims linking Nigeria’s security challenges to religion, stressing that such narratives were misleading.

Fagbemi stated this after a closed-door meeting on Tuesday in Abuja with a high-level United States delegation led by Riley Barnes, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labour, and the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills Jr.

The meeting, which followed earlier engagements in Washington, focused on Nigeria’s counter-terrorism framework and efforts to address ongoing security threats.

The AGF revealed that between 2017 and 2025, Nigeria secured 860 terrorism-related convictions while 891 suspects were acquitted, insisting the figures show due process was being upheld.

“We have security challenges, but they are not religious. The government is doing its utmost to address them,” he said, adding that the high number of acquittals showed that suspects were not arbitrarily detained.

Fagbemi, who confirmed he attended terrorism trial proceedings earlier in the day, said Nigeria remains transparent and committed to justice in its fight against violent extremism.

He noted that the delegation had visited key security institutions, civil society groups, and religious bodies, and would issue its own statement on the mission’s findings.

Dismissing what he described as exaggerated portrayals of Nigeria’s situation, the AGF urged the public to remain discerning.

“Things are not as heinous as people are portraying. We have problems in Nigeria, but it is not a problem of religion,” he insisted.

The US team is in the country on a fact-finding mission over allegations of Christian genocide.