By Charles Pemu 
A fierce debate over the characterization of Nigeria’s security crisis has erupted between the country’s leading Muslim and Christian bodies, following the United States’ designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and President Donald Trump’s threat of military intervention.
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on Sunday dismissed the allegation of Christian genocide as “false, dangerous, and politically motivated,” while the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Wale Oke, insisted unequivocally: “There is Christian genocide in Nigeria.”
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, NSCIA Secretary-General Prof. Ishaq Oloyede accused Western media, foreign lobbyists, and US political figures of being part of a coordinated campaign to destabilize Nigeria.
Oloyede maintained that the violence plaguing parts of the country is primarily driven by “criminality, poverty, and climate-induced migration,” not 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 stated. He alleged that some Nigerian separatist groups and foreign lobbyists are exploiting the insecurity with “fabricated statistics and doctored videos” to influence Western governments. He dismissed the CPC designation as a “political tool, not a reflection of facts on the ground.”
However, PFN President Bishop Wale Oke, during a visit to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, firmly disagreed.
“There is Christian genocide in Nigeria. There is no other name to call it,” Oke said, listing atrocities like the killing of Deborah Samuel, the abduction of Leah Sharibu and the Chibok girls, and massacres in Owo, Plateau, and Benue as evidence. He stressed that while the killings are perpetrated by extremist groups who invoke Islam, they do not represent the wider Muslim community.
Despite his insistence on genocide, Bishop Oke expressed appreciation to President Trump for raising concerns but urged him to avoid military intervention and instead cooperate with the Nigerian government. “Tinubu should ask for the cooperation of Trump, instead of opposing him. Work together so that Nigerians can live in peace,” he stressed.
Olubadan, APC Chieftain Caution Against Foreign Troops
The debate over foreign intervention was also echoed by other stakeholders:
- Oba Rashidi Ladoja lamented the decades of killings and destruction, saying the Christian community deserved to be placated. While noting that terrorists “don’t know the difference between Muslims and Christians,” the monarch appealed for unity.
- Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, an APC chieftain, warned that Nigeria must not accept the deployment of foreign troops to combat terrorism, stating it would “complicate the situation and lead to greater problems.” He urged political and religious leaders to rally behind President Tinubu rather than exploit Trump’s threat for political gain.
President Bola Tinubu has previously dismissed the characterization of Nigeria as religiously intolerant and confirmed his administration is engaging diplomatically with international partners while working to defeat terrorism internally.
The controversy highlights the deep internal division and international pressure facing the Nigerian government as it attempts to navigate its security challenges.