The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has accused the New York Times and its West Africa Bureau Chief, Ruth Maclean, of grave misrepresentation and false attribution following an interview with its leadership on December 16, 2025.
The organisation claims the newspaper distorted facts and linked them to US airstrikes in Sokoto State, posing life-threatening risks to its leadership.
Intersociety reportedly denied making claims about unverified data or linking their work to American partisan politics.
They asserted that their documentation of killings since 2009 was based on religious freedom monitoring under United Nations and African Union frameworks.
The organisation disputed the newspaper’s handling of Boko Haram casualty figures, citing available data that showed Christians constituted a significant proportion of victims.
Intersociety warned that the report’s framing exposed its leadership and offices to potential security risks, holding the New York Times and its West Africa Bureau Chief vicariously liable for any harm caused.
“We are shocked and totally disappointed by the perfidy of lies told against us in the said publication,” Intersociety said, stressing that the framing of the report posed “life-threatening risks” to its leadership.
The organisation, led by criminologist and human rights campaigner Emeka Umeagbalasi, said it was placing the New York Times and its West Africa Bureau Chief on notice, stating that they would be held “vicariously liable” should any harm come to its leader, his family, or its offices in Onitsha, Enugu and Aguata.
The dispute highlights the challenges of reporting on sensitive topics like religious persecution and terrorism.
Intersociety maintained that its reports were based on credible sources and international best practices, emphasising the need for responsible journalism.
Intersociety specifically said it stood firmly by its estimate that about 19,100 churches had been attacked, burnt, or destroyed in Nigeria since 2009, even as it rejected claims that it exaggerated the figure.
“People are free to agree or disagree with our findings,” the organisation stated, “but putting false words into our mouths and framing us in ways that expose us to danger is unacceptable.”
The New York Times had yet to publicly respond to the allegations as of the time of this publication. [With News Express report]
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