By Peter Omopo
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) have clashed over claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, deepening the national debate triggered by recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump.
At a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the NSCIA dismissed the allegations as “false, dangerous, and politically motivated.” Its Secretary-General, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, said the reports, amplified by Western media and some political figures, were part of a coordinated campaign to destabilise the country.
“We affirm that in Nigeria, there is no Christian terrorism, no Muslim terrorism, and no religious intolerance,” Oloyede said. “Our tragedy is rooted in poverty, climate change, bad governance, and armed criminality — not religion.”
He accused some separatist groups, foreign lobbyists, and U.S. politicians of spreading fabricated statistics and doctored videos to pressure Western governments into taking punitive actions against Nigeria. According to him, the renewed U.S. designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” was “a political tool, not a reflection of facts on the ground.”
Oloyede urged President Trump to support Nigeria with intelligence and logistics rather than “smear campaigns,” stressing that Muslims and Christians must unite against insecurity.
However, the PFN President, Bishop Wale Oke, strongly disagreed, insisting there was indeed “a Christian genocide” taking place in the country.
“There is no other name to call it,” Oke said during a courtesy visit to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja. “No Christian group is attacking Muslims. The patience of the church is being stretched.”
Oke cited the killing of Deborah Samuel, the abduction of Leah Sharibu and the Chibok girls, and repeated attacks in Benue, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, Owo, Niger, and Plateau states as evidence of targeted persecution.
While commending President Trump for speaking out, he advised against military intervention, urging collaboration instead. “Tinubu should seek cooperation with Trump, not confrontation. The government must stand up and root out radical groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP,” he said.
In his remarks, the Olubadan, Oba Ladoja, lamented the decade-long violence and destruction across the country, calling for national unity and reconciliation. “Terrorists do not know the difference between Muslims and Christians,” the monarch said. “They see everyone as prey. Both faiths must come together to heal the nation.”
Meanwhile, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, warned against allowing foreign troops into Nigeria, cautioning that such a move could worsen the crisis.
In a statement from Osogbo, he said: “At this critical period, Nigerians — irrespective of political or religious affiliations — should unite to support President Tinubu in ending terrorism. Getting foreign equipment is acceptable, but foreign soldiers may complicate the situation.”
He added that terrorism in Nigeria had affected all religions equally and predated the current administration. “This is not the time to play opposition politics,” Oyintiloye said. “What Tinubu needs now is national support and unity.”
The debate over the alleged genocide and the possibility of U.S. military involvement continues to dominate public discourse, with the Tinubu administration confirming ongoing diplomatic engagements to manage tensions with Washington.
