…says it supports long standing position on security narrative

The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (Muslim Public Affairs Centre Nigeria) has welcomed the end-of-mission statement by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Nazila Ghanea, describing her preliminary findings as validation of its long-held assessment of Nigeria’s security and religious freedom landscape.

Ghanea concluded her official visit to Nigeria, conducted from June 8 to June 19, 2026, with initial observations that MPAC said align with its years of advocacy on insecurity and inter-religious relations in the country.

In a statement, the organisation said it received the rapporteur’s remarks “with a deep sense of vindication,” while stressing that the development should not be interpreted as triumphalism, but rather as confirmation of evidence-based analyses it has consistently advanced.

MPAC interpreted Ghanea’s comments as indicating that there is no evidence of an intentional state policy aimed at the destruction of any religious community in Nigeria — a threshold required under international law to establish genocide.

 The group also cited her reported position that there was no indication of “a direct government instruction… with an intentionality of destroying one religious community or another.”

The organisation further pointed to the rapporteur’s assessment that Nigeria’s insecurity does not amount to state-directed religious persecution. It said the findings highlighted that both Muslims and Christians are victims of violence across the country, with Muslims in some regions also significantly affected — a dimension it claims is often underreported in international discourse.

A central theme in MPAC’s response was the use of terms such as “genocide” and “persecution” in describing Nigeria’s security challenges. While acknowledging that affected communities may use such language to express suffering, the group argued that such terms carry precise legal meanings and should not be applied loosely.

“Empathy for suffering must not become a licence for legal and political misrepresentation,” the statement read, warning that inaccurate framing risks distorting realities and deepening social divisions.

MPAC maintained that insecurity in Nigeria is driven by multiple structural factors rather than religious conflict alone, citing resource competition, climate-related displacement, proliferation of small arms, weak rural security presence, and governance shortcomings.

The group also raised concerns about impunity, saying this aligns with issues reportedly noted by the UN rapporteur. It argued that inconsistent investigation and prosecution of violent crimes continues to undermine public trust and may fuel perceptions of state complicity.

Referencing the case of Ummulkhairi, a young woman allegedly lynched in Kaduna State, MPAC said arrests had been made but justice had not been fully served. It called for full prosecution of those responsible and stronger safeguards against similar incidents.

The organisation urged the Federal Government to treat the UN rapporteur’s findings as a “strategic inflection point” for reforms in justice and security institutions. It also called on international partners to rely on verified evidence rather than simplified or politicised narratives when engaging Nigeria on security issues.

MPAC further criticised some American evangelical Christian organisations, accusing them of promoting a “Christian genocide” narrative. It argued that such framing misrepresents Nigeria’s security realities and risks increasing tensions.
It urged such groups to instead support locally driven peacebuilding initiatives and avoid actions that could deepen polarisation.

MPAC reaffirmed its commitment to promoting an evidence-based understanding of insecurity in Nigeria and defending the rights and safety of all citizens, regardless of religion.