Reno Omokri, a well-known political analyst and writer, has firmly dismissed the accusations made by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who claims that the Nigerian government is complicit in terrorism and orchestrating a “Christian genocide.”
Senator Cruz has asserted that Christians in Nigeria are being systematically targeted and killed by Islamist extremist groups, framing the situation as a deliberate campaign of genocide against the Christian population.
These assertions form the basis of the “Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025,” a bill introduced by Cruz that seeks to hold Nigerian officials responsible for allegedly enabling jihadist violence and enforcing Sharia and blasphemy laws in various regions.
The nigeria-crypto-tax-penalties-2026/” title=”Starting 2026, …n Crypto Startups Face License Revocation and ₦10M Fines for Tax Evasion”>legislation aims to compel the U.S. Secretary of State to label Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)” and to impose sanctions on Nigerian authorities deemed responsible for these actions.
During an interview on ARISE News on the evening of October 13, Omokri characterized these allegations as “absurd and founded on inaccurate information,” emphasizing that the narrative promoted by Cruz and other American lawmakers misrepresents the complex security challenges Nigeria faces.
To counter these claims, Omokri organized a fact-finding mission from the United States, inviting a bipartisan delegation to assess the situation firsthand.
“When Senator Cruz initiated this narrative about a Christian genocide, followed by Governor Greg Abbott and Congressman Chip Roy, I felt compelled to engage Republican officials who are genuinely interested in uncovering the truth,” Omokri explained.
The delegation, which included Mike Arnold, the Republican Mayor of Blanco, Texas, and documentary filmmaker Jeff Gibbs, met with representatives from both the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI). They also visited several internally displaced persons (IDP) camps throughout Nigeria.
Omokri noted that prior to their visit, the delegates were briefed by Senator Cruz and Congressman Roy, and after their on-the-ground observations, they engaged in discussions with leaders from both Christian and Muslim communities.
While acknowledging that attacks on Christians have occurred, Omokri clarified that these incidents do not amount to genocide, as violence has affected both religious groups. “It is undeniable that Christians have been victims of violence in Nigeria, but Muslims have suffered as well,” he stated.
He further illustrated, “In regions like Benue, which is predominantly Christian, most victims of terrorist attacks are Christians. Conversely, in areas such as Zamfara, where Muslims are the majority, they bear the brunt of these assaults. This disproves the claim of a targeted Christian genocide.”
Omokri traced the root of Nigeria’s security turmoil to the destabilization of the Sahel region following the 2011 NATO-led intervention in Libya. “The crisis escalated after the fall of Gaddafi, when his mercenaries dispersed across the Sahel, armed and trained, spreading instability from Burkina Faso to Mali and Niger, and now threatening Nigeria,” he explained.
He also held the United States morally accountable, stating, “The U.S. bears a responsibility because this turmoil was effectively imported into Nigeria’s borders by the Obama administration’s actions.”
The ongoing U.S. fact-finding delegation aims to prevent Nigeria from being unjustly labeled as a “country of particular concern,” a designation Omokri warns could exacerbate insecurity. “Such a label would only empower terrorist groups and harm innocent Nigerians, both Christians and Muslims alike,” he cautioned.
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