Rights and Integrity for Development (RID) Nigeria has accused the Federal Government of gaslighting a nation grappling with a silent genocide after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dismissed reports of targeted killings of Christians in the country as “a lie from the pit of hell.”
In a strongly worded statement on Tuesday, the advocacy group said the government’s position deliberately distorts reality despite evidence of religiously motivated violence documented by international bodies such as the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and Open Doors USA.
RID Nigeria cited several recent attacks it said bore the hallmarks of religious persecution, stressing that denial only fuels distrust and deepens the trauma of affected communities.
The advocacy group, RID Nigeria, outlined five urgent demands, beginning with the need for the government to acknowledge the crisis and launch an independent investigation.
The group also called for improved protection for vulnerable communities, accountability for perpetrators, and the establishment of genuine interfaith dialogue.
Quoting the founder, Alex Adekunle-James, the statement stressed the emotional cost of denial: “The youths of Nigeria, irrespective of faith, yearn for a nation built on justice, truth, and security. When government denies the suffering of its people, it breeds cynicism and despair.”
RID Nigeria concluded by expressing solidarity with victims and urging the government to prioritize truth and accountability to rebuild national trust.
