Dare Babalola
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has rubbished claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, labeling them as baseless, inflammatory, and driven by political agendas.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, Secretary-General of the Council, attributed the claims to a deliberate effort by some Western media outlets and politicians to undermine Nigeria’s stability.
He attributed the violence in some parts of the country to factors such as crime, poverty, and climate-related migration, rather than religious persecution.
“We affirm that in Nigeria, there is no Christian terrorism. There is no Muslim terrorism. There is no religious intolerance in Nigeria. The Nigerian tragedy is that of poverty, climate change, bad governance over time, and armed criminals who kill indiscriminately while a section of the world seeks to exploit the situation for geopolitical profits,” he said.
The NSCIA’s position follows renewed debate sparked by US.l President Donald Trump’s recent remarks condemning Christian mass killings in Nigeria, while directing the U.S Department of War “to prepare for possible action,” adding that the attack by American forces will be “fast, vicious, and sweet,” if the Nigerian government allows the killings to continue.
The NSCIA Secretary accused some Nigerian separatist groups, foreign lobbyists, and U.S. politicians of exploiting Nigeria’s insecurity for personal or political gain.
He noted, “these groups push fabricated statistics and doctored videos to influence Western governments, particularly the United States, to take punitive actions against Nigeria.”
He further alleged that the renewed U.S. designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” was “a political tool, not a reflection of facts on the ground.”
The NSCIA called on both the Nigerian government and the international community to reject the “false and destabilising narrative,” urging President Donald Trump to “assist Nigeria with intelligence and logistics support rather than smear campaigns.”
Oloyede stressed that Muslims and Christians must stand together against terrorism and criminality, noting, “There is no Muslim terrorism or Christian terrorism in Nigeria—only criminals exploiting our divisions.”
