The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has strongly dismissed claims of an ongoing “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, describing the recent designation of the country by the United States as a “Country of Particular Concern” as false, misleading, and politically driven.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday following a meeting of its Expanded General Purpose Committee, the NSCIA said the claims being circulated internationally were part of a “dangerous script” authored by Islamophobic and unpatriotic Nigerians and promoted by foreign political interests seeking to destabilise Nigeria.
No Evidence of Religious Genocide
The Council reaffirmed that no genocide against Christians—or any religious group—exists in Nigeria, explaining that the country’s security crisis is complex and affects citizens across faiths and regions.
“What Nigeria faces is a national security challenge, not a religious war,” the Council stated. “From Katsina to Borno, and from Benue to Plateau, both Muslims and Christians have suffered immense losses.”
Citing the 1948 United Nations Convention on Genocide and the Rome Statute, the Council stressed that genocide requires a deliberate intent to exterminate a particular group—something not supported by evidence in Nigeria.
Amnesty International and other independent organisations, it noted, have found “no evidence of a religious motivation” behind the killings across Nigeria. “The jihadist groups kill both Muslims and Christians, demolish mosques and churches alike, and differentiate between no one,” the statement added.
Insecurity Rooted in Climate Change and Criminality
The NSCIA attributed Nigeria’s violence to ecological, criminal, and governance-related factors. It explained that desertification and drought had forced herders southward, fuelling clashes with farmers, while widespread banditry, poverty, unemployment, and the proliferation of arms have worsened insecurity.
“This is not about Islam or Christianity. It is about competition for scarce resources, organised crime, and failure of governance,” the Council said, noting that the U.S. Department of State itself acknowledged in its 2022 Religious Freedom Report that criminality, not religious animosity, was the primary cause of violence in Nigeria.
Political Motives Behind U.S. Action
The NSCIA accused certain U.S. politicians and evangelical groups of weaponising religion for electoral gain. It named figures such as Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Riley Moore for making exaggerated and unverified claims about mass killings of Christians in Nigeria.
“These foreign actors are aided by separatist groups and domestic profiteers who fabricate statistics and circulate doctored videos to influence Western policymakers,” the Council said, alleging that such groups spend millions of dollars on lobbying campaigns in Washington to promote divisive narratives.
It further claimed that the renewed U.S. focus on Nigeria coincided with the country’s recent reaffirmation at the UN of its support for the Palestinian cause, describing the development as part of a wider geopolitical strategy to “distract from the genocide in Gaza” and weaken Nigeria’s unity.
Call for Unity and Responsible Partnership
While condemning those spreading falsehoods, the NSCIA commended some Christian leaders and public figures—including Femi Falana, SAN; Reno Omokri; Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; and Governor Charles Soludo—for their objectivity and commitment to truth.
“We turn to our Christian brothers and sisters— you are not our enemies,” the Council said. “We are united in our suffering as victims of criminal insurgency. Do not let foreign actors use our shared pain to destroy our common home.”
The Council urged the U.S. government to retract its “disgraceful” label and instead collaborate with Nigeria through intelligence sharing, logistics support, and capacity development to combat insecurity.
“The re-imposition of the CPC designation is not based on new facts. It is a political tool that cheapens the idea of religious freedom,” the Council asserted.
Appeal to Government and the Global Community
The NSCIA called on the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to protect all citizens, regardless of faith, and to hold accountable both domestic instigators and foreign collaborators spreading divisive narratives.
It further warned that stoking religious divisions in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country like Nigeria could lead to destabilisation similar to that experienced in Sudan and Libya.
“There is no Christian genocide in Nigeria, no Muslim genocide, and no religious war,” the Council concluded. “Nigeria’s tragedy is rooted in poverty, climate change, bad governance, and armed criminality. We urge the world to reject false narratives designed to divide us. Our unity as a nation will endure
