The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee (NPC), Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, has emphasized that there is no persecution of Christians in Nigeria, stressing that genocide is determined not by the number of casualties but by intent.
Speaking at the 46th Supreme Convention of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) in Kaduna, Bishop Kukah maintained that the narrative of Christian persecution in Nigeria is often exaggerated and misrepresented, citing statistics that show Christians hold significant economic and educational influence in the country.
Bishop Kukah expressed alignment with the Vatican Secretary of State, the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, and fellow Catholic bishops on the issue of alleged Christian killings in Nigeria. He questioned the accuracy of claims that 1,200 churches are burned in Nigeria annually, pointing out that such figures are often circulated without proper verification or input from the Catholic Church.
“The data being circulated cleverly avoids the Catholic Church because they know Catholics do not indulge in hearsay,” Bishop Kukah stated, lamenting the lack of fact-checking and critical analysis in discussions about persecution and genocide.
The bishop emphasized that intent is the critical determinant of genocide, rather than the number of people killed. “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,” he explained.
Bishop Kukah challenged the narrative of Christian persecution in Nigeria, citing statistics that show Christians hold significant influence in the country. “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 attributed many challenges faced by Christians to internal disunity, stating, “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.”
Bishop Kukah also criticized loose claims of martyrdom, questioning whether individuals killed in attacks or church bombings automatically qualify as martyrs. “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 remarks, Bishop Kukah reiterated that his presentation at the Vatican was a 1,270-page study on genocide in Nigeria and elsewhere, emphasizing that it is not accurate to claim there is genocide or martyrdom in Nigeria.
The bishop urged members of the Knights of St. Mulumba to defend the Church through exemplary conduct, saying, “We are no longer talking about wielding swords, but about living as true witnesses.”
