African Union chief denies genocide claims against Christians as Cruz warns Nigerian officials

Nigeria's worsening crisis is under renewed international scrutiny after a top African Union official rejected claims of Christian genocide - a statement that drew sharp reaction from Washington.

The dispute comes amid a yearslong wave of killings, abductions and village attacks in northern and central Nigeria that Christian communities say have reached crisis levels.

WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO SURGE IN CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION CRISIS ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

Asked by a reporter about President Donald Trump's recent threats to Nigeria over the persecution of Christians, the African Union Commission Chairman Mahmoud Ali Youssouf dismissed the genocide allegations, telling reporters at the United Nations, "Let me say this first - there is no genocide in northern Nigeria." Youssouf continued, from the U.N. headquarters podium, "We have issued a communication making clear that what's going on in the northern part of Nigeria has nothing to do with the kind of atrocities we see in Sudan or in some parts of eastern DRC."

He continued, "The first victims of Boko Haram are Muslims, not Christians, and I'm saying this with documented references." Youssouf said the situation is "extremely complex," warning international actors not to reduce it to a single narrative. "The complexity of the situation in northern Nigeria should not be taken lightly, nor described with overly simple language," he said, stressing again, "There is no genocide in northern Nigeria."

'GENOCIDE CAN'T BE IGNORED': GOP LAWMAKER BACKS TRUMP'S THREAT OF MILITARY ACTION IN NIGERIA

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas., warned about a PR campaign being waged by the Abuja government to fight the accusations. 

"Nigerian officials know their policies have created an environment in which Christians are being persecuted and slaughtered, including their enforcement of sharia law and their tolerance of Islamist violence. Instead of reversing these policies, they are waging a media campaign to escape exposure and accountability. I intend to prevent them from doing so."

The White House also responded in starkly different terms. A senior official told Fox News Digital: "As the president stated, if the Nigerian government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria and may take action to completely wipe out the Islamic terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities." The official added that President Trump has designated Nigeria a "country of particular concern" and ordered the Department of War to prepare for possible action.

On Capitol Hill, some lawmakers are pressing for even stronger measures. Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., said the United States could take a range of actions - including sanctions and "even kinetic military action" - in response to what he called the "genocide" of Christians in Nigeria. Trump designated Moore, a member of the Appropriations Committee, along with Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., to lead an investigation into the killing of Christians by Islamist militants in the African nation.

On Wednesday, Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general, addressed the issue in response to a question by Fox News Digital at the daily press briefing about persecution of Christians in Nigeria - and whether the secretary-general supports President Trump's warning that Nigeria must act or face consequences. Dujarric, said, "We believe that the Nigerian government has been struggling with an insurgency that has been killing people, whether Muslims, Christians or others, and I think whatever assistance is needed should be done with the cooperation of the Nigerian authorities."