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Intersociety Accuses New York Times of Misrepresentation Over Interview on Killings of Christians

Date of Report: January 2026

Introduction

In a rapidly developing media controversy, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has issued a formal rebuttal against the New York Times. The dispute centers on a recent report published by the American newspaper regarding the killings of Christians in Nigeria. Intersociety alleges that the publication, led by West African Bureau Chief Ruth Maclean, engaged in significant misrepresentation, false attribution, and the politicization of a human rights interview conducted in December 2025.

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the accusations, the specific points of contention regarding data on Christian persecution in Nigeria, and the broader implications for human rights documentation and international media ethics.

Key Points

Background

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) is a non-governmental organization based in Nigeria, focused on documenting civil liberties, rule of law, and human rights abuses. For over a decade, the organization has monitored the security crisis in Nigeria, with a specific focus on the persecution of religious minorities.

In late 2025, Intersociety engaged in an extensive interview with Ms. Ruth Maclean, the West African Bureau Chief for the New York Times. The interview, which took place on December 16, 2025, lasted several hours and covered the systematic killing of Christians in Nigeria, a subject of international concern.

Following the interview, the New York Times published a report on January 18, 2026. Intersociety alleges that the final published article diverged significantly from the facts presented during the interview, leading to a formal complaint and a detailed press statement released shortly after the article’s publication.

Analysis

The core of the dispute lies in the divergence between the data provided by Intersociety and the narrative presented by the New York Times. Below is an analysis of the specific areas of contention.

Allegations of Politicization

Intersociety strongly refutes any attempt to link its human rights documentation to United States domestic politics. The organization clarified that its reports regarding the killings of Christians in Nigeria are grounded in international human rights frameworks, specifically those established by the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU).

The New York Times report reportedly attempted to connect the December interview to U.S. airstrikes conducted in northern Nigeria on December 25, 2025—nine days after the interview took place. Intersociety views this linkage as a deliberate framing device intended to suggest a political motivation behind their documentation. The organization emphasizes that its mandate is strictly humanitarian, focusing on the fundamental right to religious freedom without partisan alignment.

Data Collection Methodologies

A significant point of contention involves the verification of data. The New York Times report allegedly attributed a statement to Intersociety’s Chairman, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, suggesting he did not verify the data used in their reports. Intersociety has categorically denied this attribution.

Intersociety defends its methodology as adhering to global best practices for human rights monitoring. Their data collection involves a dual approach:

• Primary Data: Deploying field researchers to high-risk areas including Southern Kaduna, Taraba, the South-East, and the South-South regions of Nigeria. This includes on-the-ground verification and “direction analysis” of incidents.
• Secondary Data: Sourcing information from credible third-party reports and local civil society networks when direct physical access is impossible due to security constraints.

This hybrid methodology is standard within the human rights community and ensures that data remains as accurate as possible despite the volatile security environment in Nigeria.

Disputing Statistical Claims

The New York Times report contained specific statistics that Intersociety claims were misrepresented. The disputes focus on two key areas: church attacks and Boko Haram victim demographics.

Church Attacks and Casualties

Intersociety reported that an estimated 19,100 churches in Nigeria have been attacked or destroyed since 2009. The organization clarifies that it did not claim there are nearly 20,000 churches in total in Nigeria, nor did it imply that almost all churches have been attacked. The figure represents cumulative attacks over a 16-year period across various regions, reflecting the scale of the crisis rather than a percentage of total existing churches.

Boko Haram Victim Demographics

The report suggested that the majority of Boko Haram victims are Muslims. Intersociety challenges this assertion, presenting data from earlier years of the insurgency that indicates a significant proportion of victims were Christians. This demographic breakdown is crucial for Intersociety’s documentation of religious persecution, as they argue that Christians in northern Nigeria face disproportionate targeting relative to their population size.

Practical Advice

For readers, journalists, and researchers following the crisis in Nigeria and the dispute between Intersociety and the New York Times, the following practical steps are recommended to navigate complex information ecosystems:

Verifying Human Rights Data

When consuming reports on conflict zones, it is vital to cross-reference statistics with multiple independent sources. Look for organizations that disclose their methodology. Intersociety, for example, outlines its use of field researchers and third-party verification. Readers should distinguish between estimates derived from direct fieldwork and those derived from aggregated news reports.

Understanding Media Framing

Be aware of how narratives are framed. The linkage of a December 16 interview to a December 25 military airstrike (nine days later) suggests a chronological framing that may imply causation where none exists. Readers should critically evaluate whether temporal proximity is being used to construct a political narrative that the subjects of the interview reject.

Assessing Sources on Religious Persecution

Religious persecution data can be politically sensitive. When reading about the conflict in Nigeria, distinguish between:

• Security Reporting: Focuses on military actions and insurgent movements.
• Human Rights Reporting: Focuses on civilian impact, displacement, and religious freedom violations.

Intersociety focuses on the latter, emphasizing the fundamental right to religious freedom as a universal human right, distinct from the broader counter-terrorism narrative.

FAQ

Conclusion

The accusation by Intersociety against the New York Times highlights the complexities of reporting on human rights abuses in conflict zones. The dispute centers on the integrity of data, the politicization of humanitarian documentation, and the safety of human rights defenders.

Intersociety remains steadfast in its commitment to documenting the killings of Christians in Nigeria, asserting that “no amount of misrepresentation or intimidation” will deter its mandate. As this story develops, it serves as a critical case study for media ethics, the verification of human rights data, and the importance of distinguishing between humanitarian reporting and geopolitical narratives.