THE Federal Government of Nigeria has strongly rejected a recent ruling by a Canadian Federal Court that classified certain Nigerian political parties as “terrorist organizations,” describing the decision as baseless, reckless, and an unacceptable interference in the nation’s internal affairs.
The designation emerged from a case involving a Nigerian citizen, Mr. Douglas Egharevba, who arrived in Canada in September 2017 and sought inland refugee status under the country’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
In the course of the proceedings, the Canadian court allegedly issued a sweeping declaration implicating the entirety of some Nigerian political parties rather than addressing the conduct of specific individuals.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the parties mentioned in the ruling include one that has produced three democratically elected presidents of Nigeria.
“The larger ramification of the decision is that every member of the mentioned political parties is a potential terrorist, and that is completely false and unacceptable,” the statement said.
The Nigerian government stressed that the country is a sovereign state with a robust legal and constitutional framework regulating political activities.
Political parties in Nigeria, the statement noted, operate strictly within the bounds of the law and form an integral part of the nation’s “vibrant democracy.”
“To associate legitimate political entities with terrorism without credible evidence is a grave misrepresentation that undermines Nigeria’s democratic institutions and could incite unnecessary tension,” the government warned.
The Federal Government urged the Canadian authorities to immediately retract the designation and refrain from actions that could be interpreted as endorsing politically motivated narratives against Nigeria.
Diplomatic channels, it said, remain open for constructive engagement.
Abuja further called on Ottawa to work directly with relevant Nigerian institutions to correct what it described as a “serious diplomatic and political error.”
Reaffirming its commitment to the global fight against terrorism, Nigeria highlighted its progress in countering extremist groups within its borders.
The government also appealed to the international community to disregard the Canadian court’s ruling and to “reaffirm its confidence in Nigeria’s democratic governance and rule of law.”
In a pointed remark, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned Nigerian nationals against making “unfounded allegations” about the country when seeking asylum or other favours abroad.
Such actions, it said, risk undermining Nigeria’s image and could contribute to damaging misperceptions like the one in the Canadian court ruling.
The statement, signed by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was issued in Abuja on Friday, August 15, 2025.