Bishop Matthew Kukah Rejects Claims of Christian Persecution in Nigeria, Calls for Unity, Accurate Data

Bishop Matthew Kukah Rejects Claims of Christian Persecution in Nigeria, Calls for Unity, Accurate Data

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee (NPC), Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, has strongly denied claims of Christian persecution in Nigeria, emphasizing that genocide is determined by intent, not the number of casualties.

Bishop Kukah’s remarks come after criticism over his call for the international community not to designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” arguing that such labeling could inflame tensions, foster suspicion, and allow criminals to exploit the narrative—ultimately weakening interfaith dialogue and cooperation with the Nigerian government.

While presenting a paper at the 46th Supreme Convention of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) in Kaduna, Bishop Kukah aligned himself with the Vatican Secretary of State, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), and other Catholic bishops, stressing the need for accuracy in reporting alleged attacks on Christians.

He questioned widely circulated claims, stating: “They are saying that 1,200 churches are burnt in Nigeria every year, and I ask myself—in which Nigeria? Interestingly, nobody approached the Catholic Church for accurate data. All those talking about persecution avoid the Catholic Church because Catholics do not indulge in hearsay.”

On the misuse of the term genocide, Bishop Kukah explained: “Genocide is not based on the number of people killed. You can kill 10 million people and it still won’t amount to genocide. The critical determinant is intent—whether the aim is to eliminate a group of people. We need to be more clinical in the issues we discuss.”

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He further challenged narratives of Christian persecution: “If you are a Christian in Nigeria and you say you are persecuted, my question is: how? At least 80% of educated Nigerians are Christians, and up to 85% of the Nigerian economy is controlled by Christians. With such figures, how can anyone say Christians are being persecuted?”

Bishop Kukah attributed many challenges faced by Christians to internal disunity, urging unity among Christians: “The main problem is that Christians succumb to bullies. The day we decide to stand together—believing that an injury to one is an injury to all—these things will stop.”

He also criticized loose claims of martyrdom, stressing the importance of context: “Because someone is killed in a church, does that automatically make them a martyr? Whether you are killed while stealing someone’s yam or attacked by bandits, does that qualify as martyrdom? We must think more deeply.”

Clarifying misconceptions about his earlier statements, Bishop Kukah said: “People say there is genocide in Nigeria. What I presented at the Vatican was a 1,270-page study on genocide in Nigeria and elsewhere. My argument is that it is not accurate to claim there is genocide or martyrdom in Nigeria.”

He urged members of the Knights of St. Mulumba to defend the Church through exemplary conduct, noting: “We are no longer talking about wielding swords, but about living as true witnesses.”

Bishop Matthew Kukah Rejects Claims of Christian Persecution in Nigeria, Calls for Unity, Accurate Data