By BONIFACE AKARAH

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has called for the resignation of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Ms. Nazila Ghanea, accusing the office of failing to accurately reflect what it described as the worsening persecution of Christians and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

The demand was contained in a new report released by the rights group, which alleged widespread attacks on Christian communities across the country. Intersociety argued that the UN mandate holder had failed to discharge the responsibilities of the office by allegedly overlooking documented cases of killings, abductions, destruction of churches and forced religious conversions.

According to the organisation, the continued silence of the UN Special Rapporteur in the face of what it described as large-scale religious persecution had undermined confidence in international mechanisms established to protect freedom of religion.

“The UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief has failed in the discharge of the responsibilities of the office and should resign,” the report stated.

Intersociety maintained that international human rights mechanisms must be impartial and evidence-driven, insisting that selective attention to human rights violations weakens public confidence in global institutions.

The group alleged that recent reports and public interventions by the UN official failed to adequately capture the scale of attacks against Christian communities, despite what it described as overwhelming evidence gathered by local and international observers.

“The office is expected to objectively investigate and report violations of religious freedom without bias or selective presentation of facts,” the report said.

According to Intersociety, the failure to properly acknowledge the severity of the situation risks emboldening perpetrators and denying victims the international attention and protection they deserve.

The organisation further argued that the credibility of international human rights institutions depends on their willingness to address abuses wherever they occur, regardless of political or diplomatic considerations.

“The protection of religious freedom requires honesty, impartiality and fidelity to verifiable facts,” Intersociety added.

The group urged the United Nations Human Rights Council to review the conduct of the mandate and appoint a rapporteur capable of carrying out independent assessments of alleged violations of freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.

It also called on the international community to intensify monitoring of Nigeria’s security situation, investigate reported attacks on religious communities and support efforts aimed at protecting vulnerable populations.

The latest report forms part of Intersociety’s wider assessment of religious freedom in Nigeria, in which the organisation alleged escalating attacks on Christian communities and questioned the response of both national authorities and international institutions.

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