The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Reverend Matthew Hassan Kukah, has refuted reports claiming he denied the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, describing the narrative as a misrepresentation of his views.
Speaking on the radio program *Boiling Point* on Sunday, Kukah addressed recent controversies following the United States' redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) due to allegations of religious persecution, particularly against Christians.
The bishop emphasized that he has never downplayed the severity of violence targeting Christians in the country.
“I never denied the killing of our people [Christians],” Kukah stated. “I don’t want to go into the details of the mischaracterisation of what I said, but it shocked me that Christians were going around saying that I said there is no persecution of Christians in Nigeria.”
He clarified, “The only clarification I can give is that I have never denied that there is persecution of Christians in Nigeria. Whether it’s persecution, whether it’s genocide, by God, this thing ought not to have happened.”
Context of U.S. Designation and Military Action
The clarification comes months after U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a CPC in October 2025, citing “systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.” President Trump later threatened military intervention to protect Christians, and in December, the U.S. conducted airstrikes on terrorist targets in Sokoto State.
While the Nigerian government has consistently rejected claims of a Christian genocide, Kukah’s earlier remarks in October—in which he cautioned against the CPC designation—were interpreted by some as a dismissal of Christian persecution. The bishop explained that his position was rooted in a broader view of insecurity affecting all Nigerians, regardless of faith.
Insecurity as a National Crisis
Kukah reiterated that the climate of violence endangers everyone in Nigeria. “In my central argument about security in Nigeria, it doesn’t matter where you are, whether you are Muslim, whether you are Christian, you are in danger of being abducted,” he noted.
The bishop stressed his openness to international assistance in addressing the violence, stating, “Wherever we can get help from, Trump, whatever, these killings ought not to have happened in the first place.”
Kukah’s latest comments aim to reconcile his advocacy for all victims of insecurity with his recognition of the specific targeting of Christian communities—a nuanced stance that had been simplified in public discourse. His clarification seeks to correct the record amid ongoing national and international scrutiny of Nigeria’s religious and security landscape.
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