There’s genocide against poor Nigerians, Muslims, Christians, children  – Sowore tells U.S govt 

Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has accused both the United States and the Nigerian government of hypocrisy in their response to the ongoing killings across the country.

Sowore said Nigeria’s violence is caused by bad governance and insecurity, not religion, warning against portraying it as persecution of Christians or Muslims.

He was reacting to renewed calls by some U.S. lawmakers, urging Washington to label Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged Christian persecution.

According to him, such claims are misleading and fail to reflect the real situation in Nigeria.

“There’s genocide against the poor, against Muslims, against Christians, against children. Trying to separate it by religion is dishonest,” Sowore said.

He argued that Nigeria does not identify victims by religion, saying, “The country doesn’t check who carries a Bible or a Koran before counting the dead.”

Sowore also criticised the U.S. for ignoring similar crises elsewhere. 

“Why is the U.S silent about Gaza, where Muslims are being killed by Israel? That’s international hypocrisy,” he said.

He insisted that insecurity in Nigeria cuts across all regions and religions, stressing that the real cause is failed leadership.

“In a country where thousands are killed daily, no one calls the government genocidal. The problem isn’t religion—it’s irresponsible leadership and widespread insecurity,” he added.

Sowore pointed out that most attacks happen in the northern part of the country, affecting both Muslims and Christians.

 “In the North, gunmen even attack mosques. Just recently, 35 worshippers were killed, and the attackers were likely Muslims too,” he said.

He warned that blaming religion only helps Nigerian leaders escape responsibility.

“When the U.S. says it wants to protect Christians, that’s not a solution. If all Christians were taken away, people would still be killed,” he argued.

Sowore concluded that unless the government tackles corruption and insecurity directly, Nigerians of all faiths will continue to die.

Meanwhile, U.S. lawmaker Riley M. Moore has urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to act against Nigeria over what he described as the “systematic persecution of Christians.”

In a letter dated October 6, 2025, Moore called Nigeria “the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian” and asked Washington to consider halting arms sales to the country until the killings stop.