PFN, Islamic Council Clash Over Alleged Christian Genocide in Nigeria
A war of words has erupted between the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) over allegations of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, following recent comments by former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, dismissed the claims as false, dangerous, and politically motivated. He accused Western media and political actors of pushing a campaign to destabilise Nigeria under the guise of religion.
“There is no Christian terrorism, no Muslim terrorism, and no religious intolerance in Nigeria. The real problems are poverty, climate change, and bad governance,” Oloyede said.
He alleged that some separatist groups and foreign lobbyists were spreading fabricated reports to pressure the U.S. into punitive action against Nigeria.
However, PFN President, Bishop Wale Oke, countered the statement, insisting that “there is Christian genocide in Nigeria.”
“No Christian group is attacking Muslims. The patience of the church is being stretched,” Oke said during a visit to the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, over the weekend.
Oke listed incidents such as the killing of Deborah Samuel, the abduction of Leah Sharibu and the Chibok girls, and attacks in Benue, Southern Kaduna, Plateau, and Owo as evidence of targeted persecution. He appreciated Trump for drawing attention to the crisis but urged diplomatic support rather than military intervention.
In his remarks, Oba Ladoja lamented the long years of bloodshed, saying both Christian and Muslim communities had suffered. He urged national unity and warned that terrorists “do not know the difference between Muslims and Christians.”
Meanwhile, APC chieftain in Osun State, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, cautioned against inviting foreign troops to Nigeria. He said security challenges must be addressed through unity, equipment support, and intelligence sharing — not by politicising Trump’s warning.
“This is not the time for division. What President Tinubu needs now is the collective support of all Nigerians to defeat terrorism,” he said.
The debate comes amid heightened tension following Trump’s threat to intervene militarily if the Nigerian government fails to end the killings. The Tinubu administration has reportedly begun consultations with stakeholders to prevent diplomatic fallout with the U.S
