The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on Sunday dismissed allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, calling them “false, dangerous, and politically motivated.”
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the Council’s Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, said claims circulating in some Western media and by foreign politicians were part of a coordinated campaign to destabilise the country.
“Violence in parts of Nigeria is driven by criminality, poverty, and climate-induced migration, not religious persecution,” Oloyede said. “We affirm that there is no Christian terrorism. There is no Muslim terrorism. There is no religious intolerance in Nigeria.”
The NSCIA’s comments come after U.S. President Donald Trump recently condemned attacks on Christians in Nigeria and directed the U.S. Department of War to “prepare for possible action,” warning that military intervention would be “fast, vicious, and sweet” if killings continued.
Oloyede accused Nigerian separatist groups, foreign lobbyists, and U.S. politicians of exploiting Nigeria’s security challenges for political or personal gain. “These groups push fabricated statistics and doctored videos to influence Western governments to take punitive actions against Nigeria,” he said.
He further described the renewed U.S. designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” as “a political tool, not a reflection of facts on the ground.”
The NSCIA urged both the Nigerian government and the international community to reject what it called a “false and destabilising narrative,” and called on the U.S. to provide intelligence and logistical support rather than issuing “smear campaigns.”
Oloyede also emphasized unity between religious communities. “Muslims and Christians must stand together against terrorism and criminality,” he said.