Nigerian Islamic Council Denies Claims of Christian Genocide
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has strongly denied allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, calling such claims false, dangerous, and politically motivated. At a press conference held in Abuja on Sunday, the Council’s Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, addressed these accusations directly, stating that reports circulating in Western media and from political figures are part of a coordinated effort to destabilize the country.
Oloyede emphasized that the violence occurring in certain regions of Nigeria is not due to religious persecution but rather stems from criminal activity, poverty, and climate-induced migration. He highlighted that Nigeria faces challenges related to poverty, climate change, poor governance, and armed criminals who kill indiscriminately. These issues, he argued, are the real causes of the current crisis, not religious intolerance.
“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 also accused some Nigerian separatist groups, foreign lobbyists, and American politicians of exploiting the nation’s insecurity for personal or political gain. According to Oloyede, these groups fabricate statistics and manipulate videos to influence Western governments, particularly the United States, into taking punitive actions against Nigeria.
Oloyede criticized the U.S. government’s recent designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” as a political tool rather than a reflection of the actual conditions on the ground. He urged both the Nigerian government and the international community to reject what he called a “false and destabilizing narrative.” Additionally, he appealed to President Trump to support Nigeria with intelligence and logistics rather than engaging in smear campaigns.
The NSCIA also stressed the importance of unity between Muslims and Christians in combating terrorism and crime. Oloyede reiterated that there is no such thing as Muslim or Christian terrorism in Nigeria—only criminals who exploit divisions among communities.
U.S. Threatens Action Against Nigeria Over Alleged Persecution of Christians
This comes after former U.S. President Donald Trump made a public statement on his Truth Social account a week ago, instructing the U.S. Department of War to prepare for possible actions in Nigeria. Trump accused the Nigerian government of turning a blind eye to the killings of Christians across the country. He warned that the U.S. would immediately halt all aid and assistance to Nigeria if the attacks on Christians continue.
Trump also suggested that America might intervene militarily to eliminate what he referred to as “Islamic terrorists” responsible for the killings. His message was clear and forceful: “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid and assistance to Nigeria, and may very well go into that now disgraced country, ‘guns-a-blazing,’ to completely wipe out the Islamic Terrorists who are committing these horrible atrocities.”
He further stated, “I am hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious, and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our CHERISHED Christians! WARNING: THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BETTER MOVE FAST!”
Key Points from the Statement
- The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs denies allegations of a Christian genocide, calling them false and politically motivated.
- Violence in Nigeria is attributed to criminality, poverty, and climate change, not religious persecution.
- The Council criticizes Western media and political figures for spreading a misleading narrative.
- Former U.S. President Trump threatens military action against Nigeria if the government fails to protect Christians.
- The NSCIA urges unity between religious communities to combat crime and terrorism.
- The U.S. designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” is seen as a political move rather than an accurate assessment of the situation.