One of the ancient cathedrals built in Akwa Ibom State. (Bell-Gam Gabriel / Getty Images)
By Michael Austin September 7, 2026 at 3:00am
A journalist reporting on violence against Christians in Nigeria was cleared of defamation charges.
Luka Binniyat, who is based in Kaduna, Nigeria, has now concluded his five-year legal battle, per an Aug. 27 news release from Alliance Defending Freedom International.
Binniyat had been arrested after publishing an article in November 2021 for The Epoch Times, a news outlet based in the United States, in which he quoted a Nigerian lawmaker who said a colleague was “covering up” a “genocide” against Christians.
The writer was arrested and later released in February 2022.
The Federal High Court in Kaduna concluded in May 2026 that the defamation charges were not sustainable.
The court said there was “no evidence to prove the essential elements of the alleged offense.”
Nigerian journalist Luka Binniyat has been formally cleared of criminal defamation charges after a five-year legal battle linked to his reporting on the persecution of Christians in Southern Kaduna.
Binniyat was arrested in 2021 after publishing an article in The Epoch Times… pic.twitter.com/2iobq0VO0N
— SG News (@SGNews123) August 29, 2026
Sean Nelson, senior counsel for global religious freedom at Alliance Defending Freedom, said that “Luka Binniyat did nothing more than accurately quote a Nigerian legislator’s own words.”
“This ruling is a vindication for Luka, but it should also be a wake-up call: accurate reporting on atrocities is not a crime, and journalists covering religious persecution deserve protection, not prosecution.”
Nelson commended Binniyat for reporting on persecution in Nigeria, which has become a global hotspot for attacks against Christians.
Islamic Fulani herdsmen, as well as Islamic terrorist groups, have been targeting predominantly Christian villagers in surprise attacks, complete with destruction of property and mass murder.
Nigerian government officials have been criticized for not sufficiently defending their Christian population.
Binniyat said upon being vindicated in court, “It is troubling to me that I was arrested and prosecuted for fulfilling my duty as a journalist, which is to report the facts.”
“It is essential that as Christians face widespread persecution throughout Nigeria, the press is free to quote what public figures are saying and doing about this crisis.”
He added that he was “grateful that I was released and the charges against me were dismissed.”
“However, my experience shows that there is much work to be done in Nigeria regarding protecting free expression, especially when it comes to speaking out on religious freedom and reporting honestly about what is really happening to Christians in the country.”
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Michael wrote for several entertainment news outlets before joining The Western Journal in 2020. He now serves as Managing Editor, which involves managing the editorial team and operations, guiding the publication’s editorial direction, and writing, editing, curating and assigning stories as needed.
Birthplace
Ames, Iowa
Nationality
American
Education
Iowa State University
Topics of Expertise
Cultural Politics, Pop Culture, Christian-Conservatism
