Sultan-led Islamic Council berates CAN over Christian genocide claims

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has sharply criticised the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for what it described as false and inflammatory claims of a genocidal campaign against Christians in the country.

The Council accused CAN of spreading divisive narratives that could inflame religious tension, insisting that the allegations of a Christian genocide are baseless, malicious, and intended to discredit Nigeria internationally.

The reaction followed a recent interview granted by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz to Fox News Digital, in which he alleged that Nigerian authorities have turned a blind eye to what he termed “systematic genocide” against Christians. Cruz claimed that over 52,000 Christians had been killed since 2009, while more than 20,000 churches and Christian schools had been destroyed. He also announced the introduction of a new U.S. bill – the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act – proposing sanctions against Nigerian officials allegedly complicit in religious persecution.

In response, CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh issued a statement supporting concerns raised by international observers, saying Christian communities in many parts of the North had faced repeated attacks, killings, and destruction of worship centres.

“Nigeria’s healing will not come from denial or blame,” CAN said, “but from courage – the courage to face our collective failures and rebuild trust across faith lines.”

However, the NSCIA, in a statement dated October 10, 2025, and signed by its Deputy National Legal Adviser, Imam Eze, rejected both Cruz’s and CAN’s claims, describing them as “reckless propaganda driven by political and sectarian interests.”

“It is clear that the negative image Nigeria suffers globally stems from the activities of some Nigerians who, acting as agents of the Christian Association of Nigeria, have made it their vocation to defame their own country in exchange for foreign sympathy and funding,” the Council stated.

The NSCIA commended those who immediately debunked the genocide claims but called on the Federal Government to “name and shame” those behind what it described as coordinated disinformation campaigns.

“Without any iota of doubt, there are political and religious actors determined to plunge Nigeria into religious crisis,” it said, recalling how, during the 2023 elections, a presidential candidate was heard in a leaked audio recording referring to the polls as a ‘religious war.’

The Council argued that available evidence contradicts the claim that terrorists target Christians alone, citing official data showing that both Muslims and Christians have been victims of extremist violence.

“Assertions that terrorists only attack Christians are utterly false. According to the U.S. State Department’s 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom, armed groups target both mosques and churches. Between January and June 2025, at least 2,266 civilians were killed in Northern Nigeria – mostly Muslims – and more than two million people displaced,” it stated.

The NSCIA accused some Christian leaders, including Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe of Makurdi and Rev. Joseph Hayab of the Northern CAN, of spreading “fabricated tales” to attract international attention.

“It is deeply regrettable that the Federal Government has yet to publicly rebuke these falsehoods,” the statement read. “Even a major television network provided Rev. Hayab airtime to repeat the baseless claim that Christians are being systematically persecuted in Nigeria.”

While acknowledging that some CAN officials had been more balanced in their comments, the Council faulted Archbishop Okoh’s “inflammatory remarks,” saying they betray CAN’s role in promoting religious hostility.

“When the Defence and Army chiefs were Muslims, CAN cried foul. Now that nearly all service chiefs are Christians, the association still seeks a scapegoat. This exposes its bias and intent to malign Islam,” the NSCIA stated.

It further alleged that Christian groups have used religious victimhood as a tool to secure political advantage, noting that “62 per cent of presidential appointees are Christians,” yet CAN continues to complain of marginalisation.

The Council also criticised the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) for barring co-insurance arrangements between conventional and Takaful operators, describing the move as discriminatory and contrary to the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025.

“This divisive circular violates the law and seeks to widen religious and economic inequality,” it warned.

Reaffirming its commitment to peace, justice, and national unity, the NSCIA said it would continue to promote interfaith dialogue despite “relentless provocation from certain religious quarters.”

“Council remains steadfast in the belief that Nigeria is one indivisible nation and will continue to defend its unity in the face of every attempt to sow religious discord,” the statement concluded.