LReligious leaders have clashed over claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria, as the NSCIA dismissed the allegation while the PFN insisted it reflects a grim reality.
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) have clashed over claims of Christian genocide in the country, according to PUNCH reporting.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, dismissed the allegation as “false, dangerous, and politically motivated.” He accused Western media and foreign politicians of fabricating the genocide narrative to destabilise Nigeria.
Oloyede said the violence in parts of the country stemmed from “criminality, poverty, and climate-induced migration,” not religion. He stressed, “There is no Christian terrorism. There is no Muslim terrorism. The Nigerian tragedy is that of poverty, bad governance, and armed criminals who kill indiscriminately.”
But PFN President, Bishop Wale Oke, maintained, “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 listed incidents such as the killings of Deborah Samuel, Leah Sharibu’s abduction, and the Chibok girls’ kidnapping, calling on President Bola Tinubu to cooperate with Donald Trump to defeat radical groups.
Oba Rashidi Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadan, urged dialogue, saying terrorists “don’t know the difference between Muslims and Christians.”
Meanwhile, APC chieftain Olatunbosun Oyintiloye cautioned against accepting Trump’s proposal to send U.S. troops, warning it could worsen insecurity.
The Tinubu administration has begun diplomatic engagement to prevent escalation with Washington.