US President Donald Trump's threat to go into Nigeria guns-a-blazing to stop the killing of record numbers of Christians did not come out of the blue.
For months, campaigners and politicians in Washington have been alleging that Islamist militants were systematically targeting Christians in Nigeria.
But investigations reveal that the data being relied on to validate these claims are difficult to verify. Popular television host and comedian Bill Maher described what was happening as a genocide, citing figures about the violence attributed to the Boko Haram group.
The Nigerian government has countered these claims, asserting that while there is indeed violent conflict, the victims include Muslims and people of no faith. Analysts also highlight that various security crises afflicted the country, and those who are killed are not exclusively Christians.
Prominent US figures, such as Senator Ted Cruz, have harnessed these allegations, advocating that the Nigerian government is facilitating the mass murder of Christians. However, this narrative clashes with findings from other groups monitoring violence, suggesting that far fewer Christians are targeted compared to Muslims.
While Trump’s recent posts referenced a specific number of 3,100 Christians killed, scrutiny of these figures shows a highly nuanced reality, shaped by deeper social, economical, and political dynamics in Nigeria. Overall, a more complex understanding is needed when discussing the safety and security of religious communities in Nigeria.
