The recent release of the report titled “Nigeria Unfolding Genocide? Three Years On” by the British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) has been welcomed by Nigerian humanists. The APPG, consisting of members from both Houses, publishes reports on topics of particular interest, and this report sheds light on the nature of violations of freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria, as well as the urgent policy priorities needed to address these issues. The report encapsulates the hopes of many during these challenging and troubling times.
It is essential to understand the context of the report and its findings, as religious freedom in Nigeria has historically been limited. Freedom of religion is often misconstrued to mean the practice of a particular religion rather than encompassing irreligion or the freedom to hold no religious beliefs at all. The right to believe as one chooses has not been universally upheld in principle and practice throughout Nigeria. Freedom of religion or belief has been subject to relative and comparative terms, with religious expressions often rooted in authoritarian, dogmatic, and absolutist forms. Coercion, intimidation, threats, and both structural and physical violence are often associated with religious expressions.
Many of the violations highlighted in the report have been ongoing for years and are deeply rooted in the history and manifestations of religion in Nigeria. However, these violations have largely been disregarded due to a cultural norm that discourages criticism of religious authorities, expressions, and behaviors.
As noted in the report, various factors contribute to violations of freedom of religion or belief, including poverty, climate change, tribal and ethnic tensions, criminality, corruption, politics, the proliferation of weapons, and extremist religious ideologies.
Nevertheless, humanists emphasize that a significant driver of this unfolding genocide is the culture of impunity and a lack of political will to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. Violations of freedom of religion or belief have escalated because individuals responsible for previous crimes have not faced justice. There have been no repercussions, no punishments for those perpetrating these abuses. For instance, the case of Nigerian humanist Mubarak Bala illustrates this impunity. Authorities detained him for months without trial, disregarding court rulings for his release. He was subjected to torture and pressure to renounce his beliefs while in custody, yet no one was held accountable. Perpetrators of attacks, torture, and murder in the name of blasphemy or apostasy continue to evade punishment. Ending impunity is crucial to putting an end to these violations.
The sentencing of Mubarak Bala has forced many humanists to live in fear, driving them to go underground. Apostasy (sharia) and blasphemy laws, combined with a policy that excludes religious questions from the national census, make it difficult to track and address the persecution of humanists in Nigeria.
Humanists also draw attention to the abuses and violations associated with beliefs in witches and witchcraft. They highlight the brutal murder of Mrs. Martina Okey Itagbor in Cross River state, Southern Nigeria, on June 18, 2023. Suspected of being a witch, she was abducted, macheted, and lynched by those who believed she used supernatural means to harm the community. Individuals accused of witchcraft often face horrific abuses, such as being attacked, set on fire, buried alive, or killed. Although Nigerian law prohibits witchcraft accusations, jungle justice, and trial by ordeal, perpetrators are seldom held accountable.
Humanists urge the parliamentary group to exert pressure on Nigerian authorities to take action against these grave violations and prevent the country from further descending into a genocide. Igwe, a board member of the Humanist Association of Nigeria and Humanists International UK, provides this plea for intervention.