The African Union (AU) has dismissed recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who claimed that Christians in northern Nigeria are facing genocide. The AU stated that such claims are unfounded and do not reflect the complex realities of the security situation in the region.
Earlier this month, Trump placed Nigeria on a list of “countries of concern,” citing ongoing attacks by extremist groups against Christian communities. He instructed the U.S. Department of Defense to prepare for possible intervention to protect Christians, arguing that love and faith are under siege in Nigeria.
His statement followed comments by Republican Congressman Riley Moore, who alleged that more than 7,000 Christians had been killed in Nigeria in 2025, with hundreds kidnapped by groups such as Boko Haram.
AU Commission President Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, speaking alongside UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on November 12, 2025, firmly rejected Trump’s characterization.
“The primary victims of Boko Haram’s violence are Muslims, not Christians,”
Youssouf said, stressing that the situation in northern Nigeria is complex and should not be oversimplified.
He urged caution in making sweeping statements, warning that such rhetoric could distort the reality of Nigeria’s security challenges.
The Nigerian government also responded, clarifying that extremist attacks in the north affect citizens across all faiths and denominations. Officials emphasized that while violence is a serious concern, it does not amount to genocide.
The debate underscores the sensitivity of religious and ethnic narratives in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insurgency. While extremist groups like Boko Haram continue to destabilize communities, both the AU and Nigeria insist that the crisis is broader than religion, affecting Muslims and Christians alike.
