A heated debate has erupted in Nigeria over allegations of Christian genocide, with the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) accusing the government of failing to protect Christians from extremist attacks.
The PFN President, Bishop Francis Oke, said the scale and persistence of attacks on Christians in Northern Nigeria can no longer be ignored, citing the abduction of Leah Sharibu, the Chibok girls, and violence in Benue, Plateau, and Southern Kaduna.
“There is Christian genocide in Nigeria, and it’s time we called it by its name,” Oke said, referencing the destruction of churches and the massacre of Christians.
“Hundreds of churches have been burnt down; tens of thousands of Christians have been massacred. Hundreds of pastors have been butchered. It’s a desecration to the blood of these Nigerians to call it anything else.”
The PFN leader noted that the violence is perpetrated by extremist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP, not the Muslim community at large.
“We are not accusing the Muslim community, get me clear. We have been living together for ages in mutual respect and harmony,” he said.
However, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has rejected the claims, describing them as false and politically driven.
NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede said the situation is a security challenge, not a religious war, and accused foreign-backed lobbyists of exploiting Nigeria’s insecurity for personal gain.
“This is not a holy war. It’s a crisis of survival, a desperate migration of people driven by environmental collapse, poverty, and criminal opportunism,” Oloyede said, urging Nigerians to reject divisive narratives and work together to overcome insecurity and poverty.
The debate comes amid heightened tensions between Nigeria and the United States, with US President Donald Trump accusing Nigeria of failing to protect Christians and threatening military action.
Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar has dismissed the claims, citing the country’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom and rule of law.
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