Insecurity in Nigeria Not Religious, Says AGF Fagbemi After Meeting US Delegation

Lateef Fagbemi, attorney-general of the federation (AGF) andminister of justice, says insecurity in Nigeria is not driven by religiousdifferences, insisting that the government is addressing the challenges throughdue process and ongoing prosecutions. Fagbemi spoke in Abuja on Tuesday after holding a meetingwith Richard Mills, a United States congressman and the country’s ambassador toNigeria. The AGF said the meeting offered Nigeria an opportunity toexplain the realities surrounding terrorism and insecurity, noting that whilechallenges persist, they are often misrepresented. “This meeting is about the terrorism going on in the countryand to afford us the opportunity to explain our own side of the story,” hesaid. “I’m happy that they are also here to see things forthemselves. And what is important is to also apprise them that even though wehave challenges in Nigeria, it is not religious. “We have security challenges, and the government is doingits utmost to ensure that these challenges are addressed.” Fagbemi said the ministry has continued to prosecute caseslinked to extremism and has made “significant progress” since terrorism trialsbegan. “For instance, today, as we speak, the terrorism trial isstill going on. I have been there today, and I have taken one or two of thecases,” he said. “And I want to seize this opportunity to let you know thatas of today, that is from 2017 to 2025, we have secured 860 convictions and 891acquittals, that is, discharges.” He said the acquittals demonstrate that Nigeria is notarbitrarily detaining suspects. “What this speaks to, particularly the issue of dischargesof the defendants, is that we don’t just arrest people and then, you know,clamp them into prison. We follow due process. They are profiled,” he said. “Those who have nothing to do with it are left off the hook.Those who we believe we have cases against, we take them to court. It is forthe court to decide. “So, whenever the court takes a decision, we comply or abideby the decision, and that is why we have good convictions and acquittals.” Fagbemi said the US delegation is meeting multiple securityand governance institutions during its visit. “They have visited the office of the national securityadviser. They have visited the office of the chief of defence staff and a fewother agencies. They have also met with some civil society organisations andreligious forces,” he added. “But I want to tell you that things are not as heinous aspeople are portraying. I can assure you of that. We have problems in Nigeria.It is not a problem of religion.” BACKGROUNDOn November 1, US President Donald Trump redesignatedNigeria as a “country of particular concern (CPC)” over the alleged killing ofChristians in the country. Trump also warned the Nigerian government to curb thealleged attacks, or he would make good his threat to stop all US aid andassistance to the country. He threatened to unleash the department of war on Nigeria tofight the terrorists “that attack our cherished Christians”. Prior to Trump’s comments, some US lawmakers had asked MarcoRubio, secretary of state, to take decisive diplomatic action against theNigerian government over the “systematic persecution and slaughter ofChristians”. In November, President Bola Tinubu approved the constitutionof the Nigerian side of the US-Nigeria joint working group as part of steps todeepen collaboration in tackling security challenges in the country. The composition of the group was part of the agreementreached during the recent trip to Washington, DC, by a high-level Nigeriandelegation led by Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA).

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