The Democratic Front (TDF) has strongly condemned a recent report by Onitsha- based non-governmental organization, Intersociety, which alleged that 1,402 Christians were killed in Nigeria over a 96-day period.
The TDF dismissed the claim as a “false, malicious, and criminally intended” ploy designed to tarnish the image of Nigerian government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a joint statement signed by TDF Chairman Mallam Danjuma Muhammad and Secretary Chief Wale Adedayo, the group described the allegation as part of an ongoing campaign of calumny.
The TDF raised concerns over the credibility of Intersociety, pointing out that the organization is headed by Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, whom they described as having previously fabricated misleading narratives on insecurity.
According to the TDF, these past
narratives even influenced former US President Donald Trump’s stance on Nigeria.
The TDF further alleged that Intersociety and its leadership have been repeatedly linked by security agencies to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed terrorist organization in Nigeria.
the alleged killings occurred.
While acknowledging that inter-tribal and inter-religious violence remains a major security challenge in Nigeria, the TDF emphasized that both Muslims and Christians have been equal victims of the ongoing violence.
The group argued that portraying the situation as a one-sided attack against Christians with exaggerated figures is “heinous, atrocious, and seditious.”
They demanded that the NGO provide
verifiable evidence to substantiate the figure of 1,402 deaths or face prosecution for inciting insurrection.
The TDF stressed that deliberate falsehoods promoting religious acrimony are unacceptable, particularly as the current administration works to eliminate insecurity across the nation.