FIRST ON FOX: A diplomatic dispute has erupted between prominent Republican Senator and Nigerian government representatives. The Texas senator has indicated his intention to hold them responsible for the alleged “mass slaughter” of tens of thousands of Christians in Nigeria. In response, Nigerian officials accuse Cruz of falsehoods, with one asserting that religious harmony exists in the nation, even as the Pope has publicly condemned the violence.
Nigeria is ranked among the world’s most perilous nations for Christians, as per the 2025 World Watch List (WWL) published by the international Christian advocacy organization Open Doors International. Christians constitute approximately 48% of the population. However, out of the 4,476 Christian deaths documented globally in the WWL’s most recent reporting cycle, 3,100—or 69%—occurred in Nigeria.
On Saturday, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s spokesperson advised a Lagos newspaper that Cruz ought to “cease these malicious, fabricated falsehoods” regarding the killings.
Senator Cruz, who chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, countered by stating to Digital that “Nigeria’s federal government and numerous state administrations uphold blasphemy statutes within their criminal and Sharia legal frameworks, and they either overlook or enable mob attacks aimed at Christians.”
On Friday, Mohammed Idris, Nigeria’s Minister of Information, exclusively informed Digital that he refutes Cruz’s allegations of widespread violence against Christians in his nation. “The Nigerian government rejects this. This is undoubtedly untrue,” he declared.
Reacting to this, Cruz informed Digital that the fatalities “stem from choices made by particular individuals, in specific locations, at definite moments. The United States is aware of who these individuals are, and I plan to hold them responsible.”
Cruz asserted, “Since 2009, more than 50,000 Christians in Nigeria have been killed, and upwards of 20,000 churches and Christian educational institutions have been demolished. These heinous acts are directly attributable to the policies enacted by Nigerian federal and state authorities. They arise from choices made by particular individuals, in specific locations, at definite moments – and it is quite revealing about who is now reacting strongly as these matters are brought to light.”
On Friday, Cruz posted on X, stating: “Nigerian officials are disregarding, and even enabling, the mass killings of Christians by Islamist jihadists. It is imperative to hold those accountable.” He then mentioned a new piece of legislation he introduced in the Senate, adding: “My Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act aims to target these officials with robust sanctions and various other instruments.”
This statement prompted an immediate reaction from Nigerian presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga. In an interview with the Nigerian Daily Post the following day, Onanuga urged, “Senator, please cease these malicious, fabricated falsehoods against my nation. Christians are not being targeted. We experience religious harmony within our country.”
Idris communicated to Digital that Cruz’s assertions are “highly deceptive. This lacks truth. It does not accurately represent the reality on the ground. Specifically, it is false to claim over 20,000 churches have been set ablaze. It is also false to state 52,000 (fatalities); where did he obtain such figures? I find this utterly preposterous. It is entirely unsubstantiated by any facts. The Nigerian government refutes this. No Nigerian official would willingly or intentionally engage in collaborating with violent extremists to target any specific religion in this nation. This is absolutely incorrect.”
Idris further declared, “Nigeria is a multi-religious nation, signifying a country where various faiths coexist. We have Christians, we have Muslims, and we even have individuals who do not adhere to either of these two religions. Nigeria is a highly tolerant country. The Nigerian government is dedicated to guaranteeing religious freedom within its borders, although extremist groups do operate in the country.”
Idris proceeded, “It is regrettable, sadly, that some of these extremists have caused the deaths of both Christians and Muslims in nearly every region where this violent extremism finds backing. Therefore, Senator Cruz’s accusation is untrue. We consider that to be extremely unfortunate. It is reprehensible, it is wrong. It is absolutely incorrect to assert that there is a calculated or deliberate effort to eliminate a specific religious community, and we find that deeply, deeply regrettable.”
Natalie Blair of Open Doors states that independent figures from Nigeria indicate “Christians may be targeted by radical extremists, and radical extremists may [target] those who do not align with their radical ideology.” However, Blair, a senior advocate for Open Doors, informed Digital, “Boko Haram and ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) have explicitly and consistently identified Christians as their targets. Moreover, numerous victims have recounted that during attacks, Fulani militants not only chant ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is Great) but also declare, ‘We will destroy all Christians.’”
Blair further noted: “Data from the Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa concerning civilian fatalities—excluding military and terrorist casualties—in northern Nigeria is unambiguous: extremists kill more Christians than Muslims. A Christian is 6.5 times more likely to be killed than a Muslim. This does not diminish the suffering of a Muslim; it simply indicates a lower probability.”
Bishop Wilfred Anagbe, whose Makurdi Diocese is predominantly Christian, was prompted by persistent and intensifying assaults from Muslim Fulani militants to testify in March in Washington. He asserted that there exists “a long-term Islamic objective in Nigeria to homogenize the population, a strategy executed across multiple presidencies to diminish and ultimately eradicate the Christian identity of half of Nigeria’s populace. These terrorists are undertaking a jihad, seizing territories, and subsequently renaming them.”
Idris dismissed the bishop’s testimony before Congress, stating: “I must say that the bishop’s stance is extreme. It is untrue. The Nigerian government has previously refuted such claims.”
Blair from Open Doors, who has direct communication with Nigerian villagers, responded, “It is essential to heed the accounts of those who have directly endured this violence. Individuals within these communities lack faith that perpetrators of these violent offenses will face justice. This skepticism stems from witnessing hundreds of suspects apprehended over the years, only for the majority to be released without charges or trial.”
Blair concluded by stating, “The right to life, safeguarded by Section 33 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, becomes hollow unless the state takes resolute action to penalize its violators. The prevailing climate of impunity will merely perpetuate further bloodshed and progressively undermine public confidence in the rule of law.”