A United States fact-finding mission has made a statement insisting that there’s genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
The statement was issued on Tuesday at Hilton Abuja, by Mike Arnold, a former Mayor of the City of Blanco, Texas and founder of Africa Arise International and Africa Arise USA.
Arnold said the statement which is published by globalupfront.com, was based on more than five years of investigation, field interviews, firsthand documentation, and deep consultation with top scholars, statesmen and legal experts.
He said: “As an objective expert and eyewitness, a longtime lover of and traveler throughout Nigeria with access at the highest levels, based on more than five years of investigation, field interviews, firsthand documentation, and deep consultation with top scholars, statesmen and legal experts, I declare this without any shadow of a doubt:
“The campaign of violence and displacement in Northern and Middle Belt Nigeria does indeed constitute a calculated, currentand long-running GENOCIDE against Christian communities and other religious minorities, without any reasonable doubt.
“To continue to deny this is to be complicit in these atrocities.
“I say this not in anger, but in truth and grief. My stated assignment from my host was to speak the truth and I have done that to the best of my ability.
“I believe Nigeria has a bright future. I believe in Christian-Muslim harmony. I believe good people of every tribe and faith must stand against this evil. But first, we must name it.
“Here I stand. I can do no other. So help me God.”
He said was personally invited by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu and Reno Omokri to meet certain key people and “declare the truth.”
He said:”I was personally invited here today by National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu and influencer Reno Omokri. Arnold said, “The sole stated (written) charge given to me for this trip is simply to meet certain key people, and then declare the truth.
” I know what’s at stake and take this very seriously. While my plane ticket and accommodations have been paid for, I have not asked for, been offered, nor received any compensation or promise of compensation for this.
“Neither am I connected in any way or compensated by the US Government.
“I am here independently and this statement is made without coercion or inducement of any kind.
“I also note that numerous top US officials have been briefed and are personally aware of my being here, the purpose of my trip, my specific itinerary, and expected return date.
“At their request, I am providing updates as to my status. These include but are not limited to my Senator from Texas, Ted Cruz, and Congressman Chip Roy, the White House, US State Department and Acting Ambassador, as well as a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist from the New York Times, and their International Editor.”
Arnold explained that the statement was his “formal account and analysis of facts, findings and first hand documentation of claims of widespread violence, displacement, and atrocity crimes in Nigeria, primarily directed against Christian populations in the North and Middle Belt, and whether this rises to the level of genocide.
“It is addressed to journalists, international observers, human rights bodies, and policymakers in the United States and abroad.
“We have travelled to cities, villages, and remote encampments: from Bokkos, Jos, and Gwoza to Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Bukuma and Makoko.
“I have interviewed governors, cabinet ministers, traditional rulers, two former Presidents, and others.
“I have met orphans whose parents were hacked to death. I have built schools in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and documented over 80 hours of filmed testimony and evidence, at great personal risk, soon to be released in our documentary film Me & Ms. Hanatu.
“My findings carry the weight of direct experience…”
Full text of his statement is published on globalupfront.com
The controversy over genocide against Christians in Nigeria began early October after United States Senator, Ted Cruz, posted on social media accusing the Nigerian government of allowing a systematic slaughter of Christians.
His statement, which went viral, triggered a wave of reactions from the Federal Government, religious leaders, and security analysts.
Information minister, Mohammed Idris, had while reacting to the allegation, dismissed the claimed, describing it as “false, baseless and divisive.”
The minister had maintained that the security challenges facing the country affect all Nigerians, regardless of religion, and warned against attempts to frame the crisis in purely religious terms.
Also Christian and Muslim leaders also reacted dismissed Cruz claim..
In a statement, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, acknowledged that Christian communities have suffered devastating attacks but maintained that the situation does not amount to genocide.
Similarly, the factional chairman of CAN in the 19 Northern states and the FCT, Rev. Joseph Hayab, while rejecting Cruz’s allegation, maintained that the violence in Nigeria is widespread and affects communities of different faiths.
Hayab who is also the chairman, governing council, Baptist Theological Seminary, Kaduna, had in a communique jointly signed with Rev. Mannaseh Panpe, at the end of the 65th conference of Baptist pastors in Northern Nigeria,which held in Kaduna from October 6th to 10th, 2025, cautioned the US against labeling Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).
According to him, “it could inadvertently escalate violence, as such action may limit access to military assistance and legitimate security equipment, thereby weakening the nation’s ability to combat terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes.
The communique urged “foreign partners to adopt other constructive and collaborative measures to support Nigeria in addressing its security and religious freedom challenges”.
Also in their reactions, the Secretary-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Prof. Aliyu Abubakar, and other Islamic scholars, including Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, had rejected the genocide claim, insisting that both Muslims and Christians have been victims of terrorism, banditry and communal violence.
Government officials, CAN and JNI leaders, had at a joint press conference in Abuja, declared that there is no genocide against any group in Nigeria.
