Prominent human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana has accused U.S. President Donald Trump of spreading false information about the alleged killing of Christians in Nigeria, describing the claim as a “deliberate lie to the world.”
Falana made the remarks on Wednesday during an interview on Wednesday on Politics Today, a Channels Television current affairs programme.
He said Trump’s recent comments suggesting that Christians are facing a “mass slaughter” in Nigeria were “baseless and misleading.”
“President Trump lied to the world. There is no evidence of a state-sanctioned genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
”What exists are widespread security challenges, banditry, terrorism, and communal clashes affecting Nigerians of all faiths, ” he said.
Last Friday, Trump claimed Christianity faces an “existential threat” in Nigeria, alleging that “radical Islamists” were responsible for the killings of thousands of Christians.
He also threatened to take action, directing members of the U.S. Congress to investigate the situation.
But Falana, while dismissing Trump’s claim as “reckless and divisive,” urged the Nigerian government not to ignore the underlying issues of insecurity that gave rise to such narratives.
“The Federal Government must take this as a wake-up call.
“Our Constitution makes it clear that the primary duty of government is to secure lives and property.
”The killings going on whether in Plateau, Zamfara, or Kaduna must be addressed with urgency and fairness, ” he said.
He cautioned against allowing foreign powers to define Nigeria’s internal problems through religious or ethnic lenses, warning that such narratives could damage the country’s international image and cohesion.
“While we condemn Trump’s exaggeration, we must also confront the reality that insecurity continues to claim innocent lives. The government cannot afford to be complacent,” Falana added.
Trump’s remarks have drawn widespread criticism from Nigerian officials and civil society groups, who argue that the U.S. president’s statements risk inflaming religious tensions in an already fragile environment.
Falana’s comments come amid a broader diplomatic row triggered by Washington’s renewed scrutiny of Nigeria’s human rights and security record.
