BBC Exposé Unmasks How Intersociety Fueled False ‘Christian Genocide’ Narrative

A groundbreaking investigation by the BBC Global Disinformation Unit has revealed how a Nigerian rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), allegedly manipulated global opinion with exaggerated claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria—misleading international audiences, including former U.S. President Donald Trump and powerful conservative media networks.

The BBC report, titled “Are Christians Being Persecuted in Nigeria as Trump Claims?” and authored by Olaronke Alo, Chiamaka Enendu, and Ijeoma Ndukwe, dissects the unverified data and sensational statistics that underpinned the narrative. Among the most alarming of these claims were that 125,000 Christians had been killed and 19,000 churches destroyed since 2009—figures that the BBC found to be grossly inflated and unsupported by credible evidence.

When pressed for proof, Intersociety reportedly failed to provide itemized or verifiable documentation, instead accusing the BBC of bias. The investigation found that the organization’s methods were opaque and its messaging steeped in ethno-religious framing, presenting Nigeria’s complex security crises through a narrow, sectarian lens.

“The data doesn’t add up,” the BBC report concluded, warning that such unverified narratives “distort international understanding of Nigeria’s conflicts and risk inflaming divisions at home.”

The narrative of a “Christian genocide” gained traction in Western conservative circles, influencing U.S. policy debates and contributing to Nigeria’s designation under Trump’s administration as a “country of particular concern” for religious persecution. However, independent conflict trackers, such as the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), present a starkly different picture: Nigeria’s insecurity affects both Christians and Muslims, with no credible evidence of a state-backed or systematic anti-Christian campaign.

The BBC report underscores how advocacy networks—often with political and ethnic motivations—have weaponized human rights discourse to attract international sympathy, funding, and political leverage. Intersociety, founded in 2008 by Emeka Umeagbalasi in Onitsha, began as a governance watchdog but gradually pivoted toward identity-based activism, aligning its rhetoric with pro-Biafra and IPOB-linked narratives.

The investigation raises broader concerns about the global information ecosystem surrounding Nigeria’s conflicts. Western think tanks, missionary groups, and advocacy organizations have long relied on local NGOs for data—often without rigorous verification. This dependency creates fertile ground for agenda-driven misinformation that can shape foreign policy and media framing.

The BBC’s findings serve as a cautionary tale. In an era of viral claims and social media outrage, data integrity and contextual analysis are more vital than ever. Nigeria’s conflicts—whether involving herders and farmers, bandits, insurgents, or separatists—defy simplistic religious explanations. Yet such oversimplifications continue to thrive, often at the expense of truth and national cohesion.

The BBC Africa team concludes by urging journalists, policymakers, and civil society actors to resist the allure of sensationalism and to prioritize evidence-based reporting. As the report states, “Politicized and unverifiable data not only fuels international misinformation but deepens domestic polarization.”

For Nigeria, the stakes could not be higher. As the country battles terrorism, banditry, and economic strain, the war against disinformation may prove just as critical as the fight against armed groups.