A visiting U.S. delegation has released a controversial report in Abuja declaring that a “Christian genocide” is ongoing in Nigeria.
The team, led by former U.S. Ambassador Lewis Lucke (rtd) and former Mayor of Blanco, Texas, Mike Arnold, addressed journalists on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at the Abuja Hilton.
While their report claims to provide firsthand evidence gathered over several years across multiple Nigerian states, government officials and religious leaders have cautioned that the country’s violence is complex, affecting both Christians and Muslims.
Below is the full statement of the US fact-finding mission
Purpose and Credentials;
“My name is Mike Arnold. I recently served as the elected Mayor of the City of Blanco, Texas. I first visited Nigeria in 2010 as a board member of Unity for Africa.
“Since then, I have made 15 trips to Nigeria, including six extended investigative missions since 2019. I founded Africa Arise International and Africa Arise USA in 2019. I have frequently been quoted in top newspapers and TV news broadcasts here.
“I have never extracted anything from Nigeria beyond modest gifts.
My closest and most trusted friends are native Nigerians. I come only to give, serve, and stand with the people and nation I dearly love as my second home.
“I was personally invited here today by National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu and influencer Reno Omokri. The sole stated (written) charge given to me for this trip is simply to meet certain key people, and then declare the truth. I know what’s at stake and take this very seriously.
“While my plane ticket and accommodations have been paid for, I have not asked for, been offered, nor received any compensation or promise of compensation for this. Neither am I connected in any way or compensated by the U.S. Government. I am here independently and this statement is made without coercion or inducement of any kind.
“I also note that numerous top U.S. officials have been briefed and are personally aware of my being here, the purpose of my trip, my specific itinerary, and expected return date.
“At their request, I am providing updates as to my status. These include but are not limited to Senator Ted Cruz, Congressman Chip Roy, the White House, and the U.S. State Department.
“This statement is my formal account and analysis of facts, findings, and firsthand documentation of claims of widespread violence, displacement, and atrocity crimes in Nigeria, primarily directed against Christian populations in the North and Middle Belt, and whether this rises to the level of genocide.
Nigeria in 2010: A Nation at Peace
In 2010, Nigeria was a beacon of rising prosperity and religious tolerance, often cited as the only country where radical Islam was being pushed back. Attacks were rare and sparked national outrage. Recognised IDPs were effectively zero. That peace was shattered in 2014, and the crisis worsened after 2015.
III. What Changed: A Deliberate Crisis
“Foreign meddling, including U.S. involvement, played a pivotal role in the 2015 election, enabling regime change that emboldened actors who ignored or enabled extremist violence.
” Radical jihadist elements, fueled by foreign fighters from Libya and the Sahel post-Arab Spring, flooded into Nigeria, amplifying Boko Haram and ISWAP.
“Today, over four million Nigerians are displaced — mostly Christians — driven from their homes by deliberate political engineering and radical conquest.
IV. Our Team’s Field Work
Since 2019, our team has conducted relentless on-ground research across multiple states:
“Interviewed survivors and community leaders.
Operate schools in two IDP camps (for both Christians and Muslims).
Filmed camps the UN and Nigerian government deny exist.
“Recorded dozens of hours of testimonies, soon to feature in our documentary Me & Ms. Hanatu.
Documented areas like Ngoshe, Gwoza LGA (Borno State), which remain devastated and militarised zones.
V. Consistent Pattern of Targeted Destruction
Across the North and Middle Belt, we documented:
“Churches destroyed.
Mosques left untouched.
Christian homes torched.
Jihadists resettled on captured land.
“Authorities denying or excusing the attacks.
This pattern, we assert, demonstrates a campaign of extermination against Christian populations.
VI. What Drives the Violence
Three key drivers:
“Radical Islamic Conquest — supported by foreign fighters.
Blood Mineral Extraction — $9 billion in illicit mining annually, financing warlords.
“Political Realignment — displacement used to alter electoral demographics and control territory.
VII. The Euphemism of ‘Farmer–Herder Clashes’
The phrase “farmer–herder clashes” is, in our assessment, misleading doublespeak masking jihadist conquest.
“While global attention focuses on Boko Haram and ISWAP, the majority of killings are now carried out by radicalised Fulani ethnic militias operating under political protection.
VIII. The Crime of Obfuscation
Efforts by officials and some media outlets to label massacres as “conflicts,” or survivors as “vagrants,” are deliberate cover-ups. “To play semantic games while people die is beyond obscene,” Arnold said.
IX. Legal Definition of Genocide
Citing Article II of the UN Genocide Convention (1948), Arnold outlined acts qualifying as genocide, including killings, forced displacement, and preventing births within a group.
He stated that evidence from Nigeria meets these criteria beyond reasonable doubt.
“Conclusion: My Formal Finding
“Based on more than five years of investigation, field interviews, and deep consultation with top scholars and leaders, I declare this without any shadow of a doubt:
The campaign of violence and displacement in Northern and Middle Belt Nigeria does constitute an ongoing genocide against Christian communities and other religious minorities.
To deny this is to be complicit.
I believe Nigeria has a bright future — but first, we must name this evil.
Here I stand. I can do no other. So help me God.”
— Mayor Mike Arnold, Africa Arise International / USA
REACTIONS AND CONTEXT
Government Response
The Nigerian government has described the genocide allegations as “unfounded,” insisting that ongoing insecurity affects both Christians and Muslims and that efforts continue to restore peace and stability nationwide.