The delegation of Nigeria appreciates the concerns displayed by the Security Council regarding the recent cases of abduction of Nigerian schoolchildren. However, Nigeria is greatly disappointed by the Presidential Statement from the Security Council regarding the ongoing issue occurring in Nigeria and the body’s belief that there may be a “possible genocide” in our State, specifically with the claims of possible “religious and ethnic genocide.” The most recent abductions of more than 300 children from St Mary’s school in Papiri is deeply concerning and heartbreaking, and Nigeria is actively working to address this crisis and reunite missing children with their families. 

However, to weaponize this crisis by twisting the narrative will only aggravate this situation and is counterproductive to addressing the issue. The administration of a certain Member State has spread misinformation of “targeted violence against Christians” in Nigeria, labeled the violence as a “genocide,” and threatened military intervention in Nigeria (thus posing a threat to Nigeria’s national sovereignty). Yet, they neglected the fact that attacks are not only occurring against Christians but also against Muslims. Another recent violent attack brushed under the rugs occurred last Monday, 17 November when armed men stormed a predominantly Muslim girls school in north-west Kebbi state and seized 25 students. As President Bola Tinubu said, “The characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant does not reflect our national reality, nor does it take into consideration the consistent and sincere efforts of the government to safeguard freedom of religion and beliefs for all Nigerians.” 

Extremist groups (notably Boko Haram) have attacked and killed many Christians, but likewise massacred tens of thousands of Muslims. Boko Haram has killed more Muslims than Christians, despite the fact that they are an ultra-Islamist group and originated from a predominantly Muslim region of Nigeria. While Christians are among those targeted by armed groups, analysts have reported that most victims are Muslims in Nigeria’s predominantly Muslim north, where most attacks occur. Nigeria has roughly equal numbers of Muslims and Christians within our population, and it is simply absurd for the international community to think that we condone any violence committed against Nigerian citizens—Christians and Muslims alike. As President Tinubu also said, “Religious freedom and tolerance have been a core tenet of our collective identity and shall always remain so. Nigeria opposes religious persecution and does not encourage it. Nigeria is a country with constitutional guarantees to protect citizens of all faiths.”

Furthermore, characterizing the abduction as a “genocide”—and suggesting the possibility of a “religious and ethnic genocide”—is preposterous since violent attacks occur with various motivations aside from religious ones. The perpetrators of the recent abduction of more than 300 children appear to be an armed gang motivated by ransom money, and attacks with such motives have occurred indiscriminately. Conflicts have also been sparked by farmer-herder conflicts in the east and central regions, armed banditry attacks in the northwest and youth restiveness in the south. As a result, simply labeling the issue as a “genocide” misrepresents and oversimplifies the complexity of the atmosphere in Nigeria and will not in any way contribute to addressing the root causes of this issue. 

  The delegation of Nigeria would like to stress that the Nigerian government is taking this matter seriously. Tactical squads have been deployed alongside local hunters to find and rescue the children. The Nigerian government has temporarily closed down schools for the period to prevent further immediate attacks and violence against our children while we continue to investigate and conduct search operations for the remaining missing children. As President Bola Tinubu has recently stated, the Nigerian government will also recruit 30,000 new officers to tackle gangs carrying out mass kidnappings. As a result, Nigeria views this move by the Security Council as hasty and uninformed. Nigeria appreciates the concerns that the body shows towards the safety and well-being of our children and urges the Security Council that the next course of action should not be to debate on labels or gather evidence to support such labels, but rather to assist with finding the children and reuniting them with their families.