SENATE SETS UP 12-MEMBER PANEL TO ADDRESS U.S. GENOCIDE CLAIMS AGAINST NIGERIA

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

The Senate of Nigeria on Tuesday constituted a 12-member ad-hoc committee to advise the legislature on how to respond to mounting international concerns over alleged state-backed persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

The decision followed a closed-door session in which lawmakers deliberated on recent claims by the United States Government suggesting possible acts of genocide targeting Christians in parts of the country.

The Senate’s move comes amid growing diplomatic scrutiny and fears that the allegations could harm Nigeria’s international reputation and interfaith relations.

The committee comprises Victor Umeh, Yemi Adaramodu, Aniekan Bassey, Niyi Adegbonmire, Abdul Ningi, Titus Zam, Tony Nwoye, Tahir Munguno, and Asuquo Ekpenyong, among others. It has been tasked with developing a comprehensive position paper for presentation to both the Executive and the Senate.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who announced the committee’s formation, stressed that the document must be backed by verifiable facts and statistics. “There are misconceptions that need to be corrected. We are dealing with a complex terrorist threat and it’s important that our counterparts in the US understand that the violence affects both Christians and Muslims,” Akpabio said.

Earlier, the upper chamber resolved to engage directly with the United States Congress to counter what it described as misleading narratives portraying the country’s security challenges as a Christian genocide.

The resolution followed a motion raised by Senator Ali Ndume, which triggered a wider debate on the international perception of Nigeria’s security issues.

Lawmakers expressed concern that such narratives, though often rooted in genuine concern, were misinforming international partners and damaging Nigeria’s global image and economy.

Akpabio also suggested sending a small delegation to the U.S. for private engagements with American lawmakers to clarify the situation.

Senator Jimoh Ibrahim emphasized the need for Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategies to be guided by evidence-based and knowledge-driven approaches.