Daniel Bwala, special adviser to the president on policycommunication, says claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria are being peddledbecause of Nigeria’s stance on a two-state solution to the perennialIsraeli-Palestinian conflict. Speaking in an interview on France24 TV in Paris, Bwala saidNigeria’s statement delivered by Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the 80thsession of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) led certain Westernactors to peddle the Christian genocide claim. In his address during the UNGA 80th session in New York,Shettima condemned the attack on innocent civilians while calling for atwo-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “We do not believe that the sanctity of human life should betrapped in the corridors of endless debate,” Shettima had said. “That is why we say, without stuttering and without doubt,that a two-state solution remains the most dignified path to lasting peace forthe people of Palestine.” Recently, claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria have beenpeddled on conventional and social media, especially by some personalities inthe United States. Owing to the development, Ted Cruz, a US senator, proposed abill that seeks to protect “persecuted” Christians in Nigeria. Riley Moore, a member of the US house of representatives,had asked Marco Rubio, secretary of state, to immediately take decisivediplomatic action against the Nigerian government over the “systematicpersecution and slaughter of Christians” in the country. Bill Maher, a US comedian and talk show host, also allegedthat Christians are being systematically exterminated in Nigeria by terrorgroups. The federal government has repeatedly denied the claim. ‘WE REJECT NOTION OF CHRISTIAN GENOCIDE IN NIGERIA’ Bwala described the Christian genocide claim as a “cooked-upnarrative by the West because they see that we are making gains with theeconomy”. The presidential aide said the US political personalitiespeddling the rumour are relying on a report by Intersociety, adding that thereport is full of “contradictions”. He said the President Bola Tinubu-led administration ismaking gains in the areas of insecurity, adding that those differentiatingvictims of insecurity based on religion want to create religious war. “We strongly object to the notion that there is systematicgenocide in Nigeria,” Bwala said. “We admit it to the fact that there is insecurity inNigeria, which we are dealing with. “The reason is because... I will give you a context. At theUNGA, the Nigerian president was represented by the vice-president, and in thespeech, Nigeria took a position of a two-state solution (Israeli-Palestinianconflict). “We condemned the inhumane treatment in Gaza. Twenty-fourhours later, this comedian, Bill Maher, started this campaign of Christiangenocide.” Asked if the Christian genocide claim is a result ofNigeria’s position on Gaza, he responded: “Exactly”.
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