The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee (NPC), Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, has rejected claims that Christians are being systematically targeted in Nigeria, arguing that allegations of “persecution” and “genocide” are often based on misinformation rather than facts.
Bishop Kukah has recently faced public criticism after reports quoted him as advising the international community not to classify Nigeria as a “country of particular concern,” warning that doing so could inflame tensions, deepen mistrust, and provide room for criminal groups to exploit religious divisions—ultimately harming interfaith engagement and cooperation with government.
Addressing participants at the 46th Supreme Convention of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) in Kaduna, the cleric reiterated his position that the Catholic hierarchy shares a unified stance on claims of widespread Christian killings.
According to him, his view is consistent with the positions of the Vatican Secretary of State, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, and Catholic bishops nationwide.
He questioned widely circulated figures used to support claims of religious persecution.
“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. All those talking about persecution—has anyone ever called to ask, ‘Bishop Kukah, what is the situation?’ The data being circulated cleverly avoids the Catholic Church because they know Catholics do not indulge in hearsay,” he said.
Bishop Kukah also challenged the misuse of the word genocide, stressing the importance of intent rather than casualty figures. “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. So, you don’t determine genocide by numbers; you determine it by intention. We need to be more clinical in the issues we discuss,” he noted.
He dismissed claims that Christians are collectively oppressed, pointing instead to their influence and representation across society. “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?” he asked.
According to him, many challenges confronting Christians stem from disunity rather than persecution.
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“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 said.
He further cautioned against loosely applying the term “martyrdom” to violent deaths, saying: “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? I am worried because we must think more deeply.”
Clarifying his earlier comments delivered at the Vatican, he emphasized that his position was grounded in extensive research.
“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 explained.
Bishop Kukah urged members of the Knights of St. Mulumba to serve as ambassadors of the faith through personal conduct rather than confrontation. “We are no longer talking about wielding swords, but about living as true witnesses,” he said.
