---
title: "There's no genocide in Nigeria, says AU chief after Trump military threats"
description: "UNITED NATIONS, Nov 12 (Reuters) - There is no genocide in northern Nigeria, the African Union Commission chairperson said on Wednesday, rejecting accusations by US President Donald Trump that \"very large numbers\" of Christians were being killed in Africa's most populous country."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-11-13-theres-no-genocide-in-nigeria-says-au-chief-after-trump-military-threats/"
published: "2025-11-13T04:49:10"
updated: "2025-11-13T04:49:11"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 266
---

# There's no genocide in Nigeria, says AU chief after Trump military threats

> UNITED NATIONS, Nov 12 (Reuters) - There is no genocide in northern Nigeria, the African Union Commission chairperson said on Wednesday, rejecting accusations by US President Donald Trump that "very large numbers" of Christians were being killed in Africa's most populous country.

By Reuters · Published 13 November 2025, 06:49 SAST · Updated 13 November 2025, 06:49 SAST

## Key points
- In a classic case of misplaced priorities, Nigeria's Foreign Ministry is left to remind the world that Boko Haram's primary victims are Muslims, while Trump threatens to unleash military might on a nation already grappling with its own internal chaos, all in the name of protecting Christians.
- Nigeria's Foreign Ministry defends its commitment to fighting violent extremism amid international scrutiny.
- UN representative Mahmoud Ali Youssouf emphasizes that Boko Haram primarily targets Muslims, not Christians.
- Trump threatens military action and aid cuts if Nigeria fails to address violence against Christians, lacking specific evidence.
- Nigeria's diverse ethnic and religious landscape has a history of coexistence, but tensions persist due to resource conflicts.

## Content

By Michelle Nichols

"What's going on in northern part of Nigeria has nothing to do with the kind of atrocities we see in Sudan or in some part of eastern DRC," Mahmoud Ali Youssouf told reporters at the United Nations in New York, referring to Democratic Republic of Congo.

"Think twice before... making such statements," he said. "The first victims of Boko Haram are Muslims, not Christians."

The extremist Islamist armed group Boko Haram has also terrorized northeast Nigeria, an insurgency that has killed tens of thousands of people over the past 15 years. Human rights experts have said most Boko Haram victims have been Muslims.

Trump earlier this month said he has [asked the Defense Department](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL1N3WF0UB&linkedFromStory=true) to prepare for possible "fast" military action if Nigeria fails to crack down on the killing of Christians. He did not provide any specific evidence for his accusation.

He also threatened to "stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, 'guns-a-blazing,' to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities."

Nigeria's Foreign Ministry has said the country would [keep fighting](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL8N3WE04A&linkedFromStory=true) violent extremism and that it hoped Washington would remain a close ally, saying it "will continue to defend all citizens, irrespective of race, creed, or religion."

Nigeria, which has 200 ethnic groups practicing Christianity, Islam and traditional religions, has a long history of peaceful coexistence. But it has also seen flare-ups of violence among groups, often exacerbated by ethnic divisions or conflict over scarce resources.

(Reporting by Michelle NicholsEditing by Bill Berkrot)