Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee, has reiterated that Nigeria is not experiencing a Christian genocide.
Speaking at the 46th Supreme Convention of Knights of St. Mulumba in Kaduna, Kukah said figure circulated about alleged Christian killings do not meet the criteria for genonocide and are not backed by verified data.
He said his position aligns with that of the Vatican Secretary of States, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, and all Catholic bishops in the country.
“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 to get accurate data – we do not know where these figures came from”, he said.
“All those talking about persecution has anyone ever called to ask, Bishop Kukah, what is the situation”?. The data they circulated clearly avoids the Catholic Church because they know Catholics do not indulge in hearsay”.
Kukah said the definition of genocide rests on the intent, not the figures.
Challenging claims of Christian persecution, Kukah added, “If you are a Christian in Nigeria and you say you are persecuted , my question is :how? At least 80 percent of educated Nigerians are Christians, and 85 percent of Nigerian economy is controlled by Christians. With such figures, how can anyone say Christians are being persecuted?”.
He argued that unity among Christians would counter discrimination.
“The main problem is that Christians succumb to bullies. Any day we decide to stand together, believing that an injury to one is an injury to all, these things will stop”
Bishop Kukah, in October urged the United States not to redesignate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for religious freedom violations.
Kukah urged that redesignating Nigeria as CPC would increase tensions and allow criminals to explore religious sentiments.
However, in November, the United States President Donald Trump officially redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” CPC for violations of religious freedom.
This is the second time Nigeria has received this designation from Trump administration, the first was in December 2020.
In November 2021, the Joe Biden administration removed the status.
-9News Nigeria.
