Umeagbalasi Condemns New York Times Report on Nigeria Killings as Deceptive

Emeka Umeagbalasi, the Executive Director of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), has vehemently rejected findings from a report by The New York Times, which scrutinized the reliability of data regarding religious killings in Nigeria. He described the publication as ‘mischievous’ and ‘wicked,’ asserting it was designed to undermine civil society advocacy.

In an interview with ARISE News on Monday, Umeagbalasi emphasized that neither The New York Times nor BBC conducted any earnest investigation into his organization's research, claiming both outlets sought to discredit his work with a biased agenda.

"BBC and New York Times, by our understanding, did not investigate at all. Their aim was to tarnish our credibility. Determining motive in human interactions is often complex," he stated.

Umeagbalasi's remarks were in reaction to the reports from both media entities, which suggested that while Nigeria's security situation is dire, it does not represent a unilateral religious extermination, noting that many of the figures referenced by Intersociety were mostly unverified, inflated, and largely based on secondary sources.

He firmly denied allegations that his organization seldom verifies reported deaths, stating, "That assertion is utterly false. The New York Times claimed we acknowledged our lack of verification—this is not what we conveyed to them. If we had indeed admitted to such a thing, why would we allow them to interview us in the first place?"

Offering insight into his professional history, Umeagbalasi characterized himself as a dedicated grassroots human rights advocate since the 1990s.

Intersociety, established in 2008 by Umeagbalasi and other professionals, operates with a collective approach:

"No individual can lead an organization alone. I work alongside a team of committed professionals who have other full-time careers. Yes, people often say I sell screwdrivers; we all have our beginnings."

Describing the interaction with The New York Times, Umeagbalasi revealed that the paper reached out to his organization. "We were initially unapproachable when they contacted us. The reporter had earlier interviewed us regarding incidents like the Ezu River killings in January 2013 and the Obinagu Army massacre."

He recounted how, despite initial resistance to renewed correspondence, they were eventually persuaded to engage after the reporter was accompanied by a well-regarded colleague.

In defense of Intersociety’s statistics, Umeagbalasi clarified that their primary focus is on killings motivated by religious extremism, as opposed to general insecurity.

"Insecurity manifests in various forms, be it political, economic, or criminal. Our focus remains strictly on religiously motivated violence," he asserted.

He noted that Intersociety's data on this matter dates back to 2009, with an annual compilation process in place. The organization anticipates releasing an extensive yearly analysis outlining trends in religious killings across Nigeria in the near future.

Umeagbalasi estimated that from 2009 through 2025, approximately 125,000 Christians and around 60,000 moderate Muslims are victims of violence instigated by Islamic extremists.

He was adamant that these figures are exclusive of any general insecurity statistics:

"We are not referring to the National Bureau of Statistics data that states 614,000 Nigerians were killed between 2023 and 2024. Our concern is specifically on religious killings."

Responding to critiques about verification methods, Umeagbalasi emphasized that global human rights documentation depends on both primary and secondary evidence.

"You cannot witness a crime you were not present for. Circumstantial evidence governs criminal justice. Even at the scene of a crime, you rely on information relayed to you."

He detailed various targeted sources utilized by Intersociety:

"We draw from specialized investigative reports, documents from Open Doors, Christian Post, and other established networks. Our reports contain no exaggerations."

Umeagbalasi further dismissed the notion that his organization focuses solely on Christians, asserting:

"Religious freedom applies to all faiths. Muslims also possess the right to exercise their religion freely."

He recounted Intersociety's past advocacy efforts directed towards Shiite Muslims amid their persecution between 2015 and 2018.

Regarding claims that his organization’s data shaped U.S. foreign policy or military decisions, Umeagbalasi rejected this entirely:

"Our evidence did not cause the bombing in Sokoto or any military joint operations. We function as a civil society organization, disconnected from governmental agencies or military entities."

He emphasized that the purpose behind publicizing this data is to instigate governmental action.

"Since 2009, we have reached out to various Nigerian authorities—ministers and police inspectors general—yet have received no response. When requests for local justice are disregarded, they can escalate to wider appeals for justice."

Umeagbalasi alleged that The New York Times framed its report maliciously with dire implications:

"The New York Times exhibited extreme mischief by crafting such a headline. Had I sensed an ulterior motive, the reporter would not have approached us."

He further questioned the timing of the article's publication:

"The interview took place on December 16. What relevance does it have to the events of December 25, just nine days later?"

Despite the accusations, Umeagbalasi reiterated that Intersociety’s mission is rooted in safeguarding lives:

"We monitor and track human rights issues. Once our data is compiled, we disseminate it for the benefit of humanity."