The Senate has declared that the security challenges facing Nigeria not driven by religion. The affirmation came at the end of a debate on a motion seeking to. correct perceived misconceptions regarding the purported ‘Christian Genocide ‘in Nigeria and the international community.
The declaration came on the heels of a motion sponsored by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC / Borno South) and twenty others in response to
recent discussions in the United States Senate and Congress on Nigeria’s religious freedom including the moves to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern “.
In the motion, Ndume expressed concern about the increasing circulation, both domestically and internationally, of the narrative alleging an ongoing “Christian Genocide ” in Nigeria. According to him, the narrative is being amplified by sone advocacy groups, foreign media and religious networks.
He expressed concern that though such narratives often arose from genuine concern, thedre is the risk of
of oversimplifying Nigeria’s security challenges, deepening sectarian suspicion and creating negative perception of the country in the international community.
He argued that whereas Nigeria faces serious security challenges, these are not defined by religion alone but by a complex mix of terrorism, criminality and socio-economic factors affecting both Christians and Muslims.
President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. who presided over the session called for caution, noting that the moves in the US could affect the dignity of Nigerians wherever they go. He said that the Nigerian Senate must devise a strategy to approach this issue which has been brought to the fore of the Senate,
“We must have exhaustive deliberations in close session on this, and then we must also come up with a strategy to correct the misinterpretation, the misinformation, and at the same time educate the international community. So, we may not need to go into item by item on these prayers,” he advised.