Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has rejected claims that Boko Haram's attacks on Christians in Nigeria constitute genocide, calling the allegations "fake news." Speaking to students at Abbey College, Cambridge on April 21, during a visit to the United Kingdom, Mohammed stated that the security challenges in Nigeria are complex and not based on targeted religious extermination. He argued that labeling the violence as genocide was inaccurate and suggested such accusations were made to draw international attention. Mohammed emphasized that the Nigerian government has been actively combating insurgency across the country without bias. He did not provide specific data on attacks or casualties during the discussion. The former minister maintained that insurgent groups, including Boko Haram, target communities indiscriminately, not solely Christians. His remarks come amid ongoing debates over the nature and pattern of attacks in the Northeast. No official report confirming or refuting systematic targeting of religious groups was referenced in his statement. Mohammed served as Minister of Information from 2015 to 2023 under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Lai Mohammed claims Boko Haram's killings of Christians aren't genocide but a bid for attention, yet offers no explanation for why Christian communities are disproportionately named in attack reports. If the violence is indiscriminate, as he insists, then the consistent pattern of Christian casualties demands a clearer account than dismissal. Nigerians in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states face repeated attacks, and downplaying their experience risks eroding public trust. The government's narrative cannot keep clashing with survivors' realities without consequence.
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