NSCIA rejects claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria, calls allegations “baseless”

NSCIA rejects claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria, calls allegations “baseless”

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has rejected reports alleging that Christians are being subjected to genocide in Nigeria, describing such claims as false, inflammatory, and politically motivated.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the Council’s Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said the narrative being pushed by some Western media outlets and politicians was part of a broader effort to destabilise Nigeria.

Oloyede, who is also the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), maintained that violent incidents across the country are largely driven by criminality, poverty, and migration pressures worsened by climate change—not by religious persecution.

“We affirm that in Nigeria, there is no Christian terrorism. There is no Muslim terrorism. There is no religious intolerance in Nigeria,” Oloyede said.

“The Nigerian tragedy is that of poverty, climate change, bad governance over time, and armed criminals who kill indiscriminately while a section of the world seeks to exploit the situation for geopolitical profits.”

READ ALSO:

• Soldiers allegedly open fire on policemen after Anambra election duty
• NDLEA nabs wanted drug lord at Lagos Airport en route Saudi Arabia
• Fighting Breast Cancer from the Barracks: NGO Reaches Wives of Security Officers

The NSCIA’s statement follows recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who accused Nigeria of failing to curb what he termed “mass killings of Christians.” Trump reportedly directed the U.S. Department of War “to prepare for possible action,” warning that any operation would be “fast, vicious, and sweet” if the Nigerian government failed to act.

Reacting to the comments, Oloyede accused some separatist groups and foreign lobbyists of deliberately spreading false information to provoke international sanctions and intervention against Nigeria.

“These groups push fabricated statistics and doctored videos to influence Western governments, particularly the United States, to take punitive actions against Nigeria,” he alleged.

The NSCIA also faulted the U.S. government’s renewed decision to list Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) over alleged violations of religious freedom.

Oloyede described the designation as “a political weapon rather than a reflection of realities on the ground,” insisting that Nigeria’s religious diversity remains a source of strength rather than division.

The Council urged the Nigerian government and the international community to reject what it described as a “false and destabilising narrative” about religious persecution.

It appealed to President Trump and the U.S. administration to assist Nigeria with intelligence sharing and logistics support instead of “smear campaigns that deepen mistrust.”

“There is no Muslim terrorism or Christian terrorism in Nigeria—only criminals exploiting our divisions,” Oloyede reiterated.
“Muslims and Christians must stand together to defeat insecurity and ensure peace.”

The NSCIA, chaired by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, is Nigeria’s apex Islamic body and serves as the umbrella organisation for all Muslim groups and institutions in the country.

NSCIA rejects claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria, calls allegations “baseless”