NIGERIA: Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs Refutes Christian Genocide Claims In Nigeria

By Balogun Arisekola Azeez

Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs has refuted allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria.

Speaking at a Press Conference in Abuja on Sunday, the Council’s Secretary-General, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, said the claims being circulated by some Western media and political figures are part of a coordinated campaign to destabilise Nigeria.

Professor Oloyede described the genocide claims as false, dangerous, and politically motivated.

He maintained that the violence in parts of the country is driven by criminality, poverty, and climate-induced migration, not religious persecution.

Professor Oloyede affirmed that in Nigeria, there is no Christian terrorism, no Muslim terrorism, and no religious intolerance.

He said the Nigerian tragedy is rooted in poverty, climate change, bad governance over time, and armed criminals who kill indiscriminately, while some international actors seek to exploit the situation for geopolitical gains.

The NSCIA Secretary also accused some Nigerian separatist groups, foreign lobbyists, and US politicians of exploiting Nigeria’s insecurity for personal or political gain.

He noted that these groups push fabricated statistics and doctored videos to influence Western governments, particularly the United States, to take punitive actions against Nigeria.

Professor Oloyede further alleged that the renewed US 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 and urged President Donald Trump to assist Nigeria with intelligence and logistics support rather than smear campaigns.

Professor Oloyede stressed that Muslims and Christians must stand together against terrorism and criminality, as there is no Muslim terrorism or Christian terrorism in Nigeria.

Also in his submission, Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Nigerian Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs Dr Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR who told meeting that he met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to show the concern of the Nigerian Muslims over the declaration of President Trump declaring Nigeria as a Country of particular concern.

Dr Sa’ad Abubakar said the President assured him that Nigeria would resolve the matter diplomatically, pointing out that some unpatriotic elements lied to USA of alleged killing of christians which he said was absolutely false.

The Sultan said the President promised that the matter is being attended to decisively and commended EU Nation’s from distancing themselves from America over Trump’s pronouncement.

The Press Conference took place after the Consultative Meeting of Expanded General Purpose Committee meeting of NSCIA with participants from 36 states of the Federation and FCT Abuja.