Deconstructing the "Genocide in Nigeria" Narrative in an Age of Politicized Human Rights

• In Event: Sociology of Human Rights Refereed Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Sociology of Human Rights Roundtables - Table 2

Abstract

In late 2025, public statements by the President of the United States alleged the occurrence of genocide against Christians in northern Nigeria and accused the Nigerian state of complicity or indifference. These claims followed similar accusations of the previous government and also earlier in 2025 against the South African government of a white genocide, which were formally denied through diplomatic engagement and the south African government had to also visit the white house to state that it was not so. In response to the Nigerian case, the U.S. government threatened restrictions on bilateral relations and imposed visa limitations affecting non-immigrant categories, including student (F-1) and visitor visas. These developments triggered strong rebuttals from the Nigerian government and reignited international debate regarding religious violence, state responsibility, and the politicization of human rights discourse.
This study seeks to critically examine the empirical validity and sociopolitical framing of genocide claims in Nigeria by situating contemporary violence within broader historical, religious, and political contexts. Drawing on human rights reporting, conflict data, and media discourse analysis, the study interrogates whether patterns of violence in northern Nigeria are more accurately characterized as complex sectarian, insurgent, and communal conflicts shaped by state fragility, regional inequality, and global geopolitics. By comparing state narratives, international policy responses, and lived experiences of affected communities, the research aims to contribute a nuanced sociological assessment of how genocide claims are constructed, mobilized, and contested in global politics, and with what consequences for diplomacy, migration, and international legitimacy.

Author

• Mubarak Alabi, George Mason UNIVERSITY