Wike Denies Genocide Claim, Blames Opposition.

Wike.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has rejected claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, describing the allegation as politically motivated and “an example of politics taken too far.”

Speaking during a Channels Television interview monitored in Abuja on Monday, Wike accused opposition figures of promoting the narrative to discredit President Bola Tinubu’s administration, using the same tactics once deployed against former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.

“I am a Nigerian and a full-blooded Christian. My father is a pastor, and my family are all Christians. I serve in this government. It is an indictment on me and my faith for anyone to allege that a government where I serve supports genocide against Christians. This is politics taken too far,” he said.

He argued that it was unreasonable to accuse the current government of backing religious violence when several key security heads, including the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the DSS, and the Chief of Defence Staff, are Christians.

“Tell me, how can any right-thinking person say that we, as Christians in this government, will sit back and watch our people being killed? Nobody here is happy that any life—Christian, Muslim, or non-believer—is lost,” he added.

Wike maintained that President Tinubu, whose wife is a pastor, would never support religious killings. “The President I know cannot shut his eyes to such atrocities,” he stated.

Responding to questions on whether inaction could imply complicity, the minister said the Tinubu administration had invested more resources in tackling terrorism than any government before it.

He accused opposition forces of deliberately exploiting the country’s security challenges to provoke religious tension ahead of the 2027 general elections. “This is exactly the same script they used in 2015 against Jonathan. The opposition knows no party is currently strong enough to challenge President Tinubu, so they are desperate to create tension. This genocide claim is just a political weapon,” he stated.

Wike noted that terrorism and banditry had affected people of all religions and ethnic groups. “Terrorists are killing Christians, Muslims, and even non-believers. When Benue was under attack or when the Chibok girls were kidnapped, Tinubu was not President. So, it’s wrong to link today’s killings to this administration,” he explained.

He appealed to Nigerians and the international community not to be deceived by politically charged reports. “I support any country genuinely willing to help Nigeria fight terrorism, but no one should use our internal problems for politics. This government is not helpless; it’s working and will continue to work to solve the problem,” Wike assured.