The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has dismissed claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria, describing the allegation as false, dangerous, and politically motivated.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, accused sections of the Western media and certain political figures of amplifying the genocide narrative as part of an orchestrated campaign to destabilise the country.
However, the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Bishop Wale Oke, maintained that “There is Christian genocide in Nigeria.”
“There is no other name to call it. No Christian group is attacking Muslims. Patience of the church is being stretched,” Oke said during a visit to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, over the weekend.
The heated debate followed Nigeria’s renewed designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who in a series of posts on X between October 31 and November 1 condemned ongoing killings and warned that the U.S. could send its military to Nigeria if the Federal Government failed to end the violence.
Addressing journalists, Oloyede stated that the insecurity plaguing parts of Nigeria was driven not by religion but by crime, poverty, and climate-induced migration.
“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,” Oloyede said.
The NSCIA scribe further alleged that certain separatist groups, foreign lobbyists, and American politicians were exploiting Nigeria’s insecurity for political advantage.
“These groups push fabricated statistics and doctored videos to influence Western governments, particularly the United States, to take punitive actions against Nigeria,” he said.
Oloyede described the U.S. designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” as a political tool rather than a reflection of the true situation, urging both the Nigerian government and the international community to reject what he termed a “false and destabilising narrative.”
He also appealed to Trump to “assist Nigeria with intelligence and logistics support rather than smear campaigns.”
PFN Insists Killings Target Christians
During his meeting with the Olubadan, Bishop Oke reiterated his position, saying, “There is Christian genocide in Nigeria. There is no other name to call it. No Christian group is attacking Muslims. Patience of the church is being stretched.”
He blamed the killings on extremist organisations such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and other groups claiming to act in the name of Islam, while noting that these extremists do not represent the broader Muslim community.
Listing cases such as the killing of Deborah Samuel, the abduction of Leah Sharibu and the Chibok girls, as well as attacks in Benue, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, Owo, Niger, and Plateau States, Oke lamented that hundreds of Christians and pastors had been killed.
The PFN president thanked Trump for raising global awareness of the issue but urged him to avoid military intervention and instead support Nigeria through cooperation.
“Tinubu should ask for the cooperation of Trump, instead of opposing him. The President should root out radical groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP. Work together so that Nigerians can live in peace.
“The government should stand up and not play politics with it. Tinubu and the Federal Government need to cooperate with Trump to deal with this cancer,” he said.
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Olubadan, APC Chieftain Call for Unity
According to a statement by his media aide, Adeola Oloko, the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, expressed concern over the persistent violence, saying Christians deserved to be appeased.
“Many people have been killed and property worth an inestimable amount of money destroyed. Multitudes of families, particularly women and children, have been displaced. Kidnappings have taken place.
“Successive administrations have spent trillions to fight insecurity. When you look at this scenario over the past 10 years, people are bound to feel aggrieved and resort to self-help,” the monarch said.
Ladoja commended the efforts of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, as well as President Bola Tinubu, but warned that terrorists “don’t know the difference between Muslims and Christians.”
He urged religious leaders to promote peace, noting that in the South-West, people of different faiths coexist peacefully.
Meanwhile, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, cautioned against calls for foreign military intervention, warning that such a move could worsen Nigeria’s security situation.
In a statement issued in Osogbo, Oyintiloye urged political and religious leaders not to use Trump’s remarks to attack President Tinubu but to work collectively to end terrorism.
“At this critical period, Nigerians, irrespective of political or religious affiliations, should come together to support the President and join efforts to overcome the lingering security challenges facing the country. This is not a time to play opposition politics,” he said.
He added, “We must all come to the realisation that all our hopes, aspirations and dreams to get public office rest squarely on the continued existence of Nigeria.
“Getting foreign support in terms of equipment will be good, but not the deployment of soldiers. It may complicate the situation and lead to greater problems.”
Oyintiloye further called on opposition figures to be cautious in their statements, warning that the impact of their words could affect the entire nation. He also urged newly appointed service chiefs to justify the trust placed in them by intensifying efforts to eliminate terrorism.
The controversy over possible U.S. intervention has sparked widespread debate. The Tinubu administration, according to The PUNCH report of November 7, has been consulting stakeholders to manage diplomatic relations with Washington and prevent escalation.
