Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Tuggar said government records confirm that just 52 churches have been targeted in the last two years, with a total of 102 attacks recorded since 2009.
By Titilope Adako
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has refuted international reports claiming that 18,000 churches have been destroyed across the country.
Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored, Tuggar said government records confirm that just 52 churches have been targeted in the last two years, with a total of 102 attacks recorded since 2009.
He noted that the widely circulated figures abroad misrepresent Nigeria’s situation and promote a false narrative of religious genocide.
Asked about the exact number of church attacks nationwide, Tuggar said the government maintains accurate records and has never attempted to hide the incidents.
“Over the past two years, 52 churches have been attacked, depending on the region,” he said.
“Since 2009, the total is 102. These were not completely destroyed, and nothing is being concealed.”
Tuggar added that mosques have also suffered attacks but avoided specifying figures to prevent inflaming religious tensions.
“If I start mentioning mosques, it could heighten sensitivities, so I won’t go into that,” he explained.
He also argued that if Nigerian Christians were facing genocide, local leaders in mainly Christian states would be the first to raise the alarm.
He cited Benue State, where the governor is a Catholic priest, saying, “He would be shouting it from the rooftops if there were a genocide, but he isn’t, because it isn’t happening.”
The minister emphasised that Nigeria’s security challenges, including terrorism, banditry, and communal violence, are complex and cannot be reduced solely to religious factors.
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