- Bishop Matthew Kukah denies ever claiming that Christians in Nigeria are not being persecuted, describing the reports as a misrepresentation of his comments
- His clarification follows US President Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ and subsequent air strikes against terrorists in Sokoto
- Kukah stressed that insecurity in Nigeria affects all citizens, regardless of religion, and that the killings should never have occurred
Legit.ng’s Muslim Muhammad Yusuf is a 2025 Wole Soyinka Award-winning journalist with over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
The Catholic bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has refuted claims that he denied the existence of Christian persecution in Nigeria, describing the reports as a mischaracterisation of his remarks.
The controversy followed US President Donald Trump’s October 31 decision to redesignate Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern (CPC)’, citing claims of a Christian genocide in the country.
Source: UGC
Speaking on Sunday during an appearance on Boiling Point, a programme aired on several radio stations, Kukah said he was surprised by the circulation of statements suggesting he had dismissed attacks on Christians.
He said:
“I never denied the killing of our people [Christians]. I don’t want to go into the details of the mischaracterisation of what I said, but it shocked me that Christians were going around saying that I said there is no persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
The only clarification I can give is that I have never denied that there is persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Whether it’s persecution, whether it’s genocide, by God, this thing ought not to have happened. Wherever we can get help from, Trump, whatever, these killings ought not to have happened in the first place.”
I never meant to dismiss killings of Nigerians – Kukah
Kukah maintained that his comments were never meant to dismiss the killings, but rather to highlight the broader insecurity affecting all Nigerians.
He further recalled urging the US government not to redesignate Nigeria as a CPC in October, emphasising that Nigerians feel vulnerable and unprotected irrespective of their faiths, ethnicity or social classes.
“In my central argument about security in Nigeria, it doesn’t matter where you are, whether you are Muslim, whether you are Christian, you are in danger of being abducted,” he said.
The bishop’s clarification comes amid heightened tensions over religious violence in the country, as communities across Nigeria continue to face attacks from terrorist groups and bandits.
Source: UGC
Bishop Kukah tells US what to do about Christian genocide
We earlier reported that Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has appealed to the United States government to refrain from redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), warning that such a move could worsen religious tensions and undermine peace efforts.
Kukah made the appeal on Tuesday, October 21, at the launch of the Aid to the Church in Need (ACIN) 2025 Report on Religious Freedom in the World, held at the Augustinianum Hall in Vatican City.
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