Abuja | The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has rejected allegations of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, describing such claims as false, divisive, and politically motivated.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the Council’s Secretary-General, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, said the reports being circulated by some Western media outlets and foreign politicians were part of an orchestrated attempt to destabilise Nigeria and sow religious tension.
“The claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria are baseless and dangerous,” Oloyede said. “There is no Christian terrorism, no Muslim terrorism, and no religious intolerance in Nigeria. Our tragedy is rooted in poverty, bad governance, climate change, and armed criminality — not religion.”
Oloyede maintained that the violence in some parts of the country was driven by socio-economic factors rather than faith-based persecution, warning that mischaracterising it as a religious conflict could inflame divisions and harm Nigeria’s image internationally.
The Council’s reaction followed recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused radical Islamist groups of widespread killings of Christians in Nigeria and directed the Pentagon to prepare for possible military action. Trump had vowed that any U.S. response would be “fast, vicious, and sweet” if the Nigerian government failed to stop the killings.
In response, the NSCIA urged both the Nigerian government and international partners to reject what it called “false and destabilising narratives.”
“The renewed U.S. designation of Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’ is a political tool, not a reflection of facts on the ground,” Oloyede said. “Certain separatist groups and foreign lobbyists are pushing doctored videos and fabricated statistics to influence Western governments for political gain.”
He called on President Trump and other world leaders to assist Nigeria through intelligence sharing and logistical support rather than through public condemnation.
“Muslims and Christians in Nigeria must stand together against terrorism and criminality,” Oloyede emphasised. “The enemy is not religion—it is the criminals exploiting our differences for personal and political purposes.”
The NSCIA also appealed for calm among Nigerians, reiterating that unity and cooperation between faith communities remain the surest path to overcoming the country’s security challenges.
