On Friday, the Nigerian government assured the United States of its commitment to uphold freedom of religion and expression.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave this assurance in a statement signed by its acting spokesman, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, saying any reports of threats or intimidation against religious leaders would be investigated and appropriate actions would be taken.
The reaction came amid reports Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of Makurdi and Father Remigius Ihyula were being threatened after they testified both in the U.S. Congress and the UK Parliament detailing the persecution of Christians in Makudi Diocese and Nigeria at large.
On March 12, both men appeared before the United States house foreign affairs committee (HFAC) to testify about militants killing or forcibly displacing Christian farmers in Benue.
The clergymen also claimed that there is an ongoing campaign of Islamisation in the country.
“They steal and vandalise, they kill and boast about it, they kidnap and rape, and they enjoy total impunity from the elected authorities,” Anagbe told the committee.
“None of them have been arrested and brought to justice. This is supported by the corrupt system in which we operate and the abject poverty among us, which allow the criminals to easily attract more recruits and prey on more victims,” he said.
The religious leaders said they had become targets, with Anagbe pointedly accusing Nigeria’s foreign ministry as telling him to “watch his words.”
The alleged threats have sparked reactions in Nigeria and across the globe, with the U.S. Mission in Nigeria saying it was deeply troubled by the reports of intimidation against the clergymen.
“Freedom of expression is an essential human right and central to the function of democracy in Nigeria and the United States. No one should be subject to threats for exercising that right,” the mission said in a statement April 12.
“We call on all actors to respect Bishop Anagbe’s and Father Remigius right to speak freely without fear of retribution or retaliation.”
Robert Řehák, Chair of IRFBA – the Article 18 Alliance-the International Religious Freedom of Belief Alliance said he was “appalled” by the reports.
“I am appalled to discover from our members that threats are being made against Bishop Wilfred Anagbe by various entities, because he freely expresses his views about the situation in Makurdi and Benue to the US Congress and the UK Houses of Parliament,” he said.
“I am informed that threats seem to come from both government bodies and some religious organizations,” he added.
In a statement April 10, U.S. Representative Chris Smith, Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, condemned the threats made to Anagbe and Remigius.
“I am appalled by reports that Bishop Wilfred Anagbe and Father Remigius Ihyula are facing threats — allegedly from Nigerian government sources and affiliated organizations — because of the bishop’s testimony before Congress detailing violence in Nigeria’s Benue State,” said Smith.
“I also fear there are some who would seek to do him physical harm.”
For nearly a decade, Anagbe has been a leading voice against the assault on largely Christian communities in Benue state by Fulani herdsmen.
Father Chidubem John Kinsley, Founder and spiritual director of Fabulous Hearts Family Foundation noted that on March 28, Father Remigius Ihyula received a message from an embassy in Abuja, Nigeria.
“The message transmitted to Father Ihyula warned that there ‘might be’ an arrest warrant for Anagbe,” he said.
Ihyula told Crux that no government official had reached out to him or the bishop, admitting that threats had been made.
The government said the testimonies of the bishop and the priest misrepresented the facts and oversimplified ‘a deeply complex” national challenge.
“The assertion that the Nigerian government has ‘allowed the violence to escalate unchecked’ is both inaccurate and unfair,” Ebienfa said.
“The government has consistently taken decisive actions, including deploying security forces to areas affected by communal violence, engaging in peace-building efforts between farmers and herders, strengthening intelligence operations to track down criminal elements and implementing policies to address root causes, including land use reforms and economic development initiatives,” the government minister continued.
“It is important to state that, while challenges remain, it is incorrect to suggest that the Nigerian government has been inactive or indifferent. The reality is that Nigeria is fighting multiple security threats, including banditry, terrorism, and organized crime, all of which affect different communities irrespective of religion,” he said.
But the Board chairman of the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Intersociety, Emeka Umeagbalasi told Crux that the Nigerian government has been abetting attacks on Christians.
