The African Union Commission (AUC) has rejected allegations that genocide is occurring in Nigeria, warning that such claims misrepresent the country’s complex security landscape.
AUC chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said there is “no genocide” in northern Nigeria and stressed that Boko Haram’s first victims are often Muslims, not Christians.
He cautioned that the multifaceted nature of violence in the region requires careful consideration before making sweeping statements, noting the situation differs markedly from atrocities seen in Sudan or the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Youssouf echoed the Nigerian government’s stance that extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP have targeted people of all religious backgrounds throughout their 15-year insurgency, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar also recently urged the international community to avoid rhetoric that could deepen religious or tribal divisions.
