By Luminous Jannamike
The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has rejected allegations by america and a few Western organisations that Christians are being subjected to genocide in Nigeria, describing the claims as false, politically pushed, and a risk to nationwide unity.
Talking at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday, the Secretary-Basic of the NSCIA, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, mentioned the council’s stance adopted an expanded assembly of its Basic Goal Committee, which reviewed latest safety and diplomatic developments affecting the nation.
He defined that the NSCIA, which represents all Islamic organisations in Nigeria, had resolved to sentence latest threats to the nation’s stability and reject any try by international powers to painting the nation’s complicated safety challenges as a spiritual battle.
“We now have not been emphasising the killings of Muslims, not as a result of we’re not conscious that Muslims are being killed, however as a result of we don’t see what is occurring as a spiritual struggle. This can be a nationwide safety difficulty, not a spiritual one,” Prof. Oloyede said.
Oloyede warned that some international teams, together with American evangelical networks and right-wing politicians, have been intentionally spreading misinformation portraying Nigeria as a rustic that persecutes Christians, in an effort to justify exterior interference.
He famous that a number of experiences promoted in Western media retailers, particularly in america, had drawn the eye of senior authorities officers there and helped to create a deceptive notion that Christians have been being subjected to genocide in Nigeria.
“It’s unlucky that U.S. President Donald Trump and a few of his associates have been misled to label our nation as a spot of non secular genocide. Such language is harmful, unfair, and undermines the efforts of a sovereign nation preventing terrorism,” he mentioned.
In accordance with the NSCIA, Nigeria’s conflicts are pushed by poverty, unemployment, local weather change, and criminality, not faith.
The council cited worldwide experiences, together with these from Amnesty Worldwide and the Worldwide Disaster Group, figuring out desertification, displacement, and competitors for dwindling assets as main causes of violence within the nation’s northern and central areas.
“This isn’t a holy struggle. It’s a disaster of survival, a determined migration of individuals pushed by environmental collapse, poverty, and prison opportunism,” Oloyede mentioned.
The NSCIA additional accused foreign-backed lobbyists and separatist sympathisers overseas of exploiting Nigeria’s insecurity for political and monetary achieve.
“These lobbyists flood Washington with doctored movies and pretend statistics. They quote fabricated figures of Christian deaths and unfold spiritual persecution claims to safe asylum, funding, and a focus. This can be a betrayal of our nation,” Oloyede alleged.
He added that lots of the campaigns have been linked to U.S.-based Christian organisations making an attempt to rally their home supporters by presenting Nigeria as a rustic at struggle with Christianity, whereas ignoring the equal struggling of Muslims and different faithm.zk communities.
The council additionally expressed disappointment on the U.S. State Division’s determination to re-designate Nigeria as a ‘Nation of Explicit Concern (CPC)’ over alleged spiritual violations, a transfer Oloyede described as political cynicism supposed to strain Nigeria for its unbiased international coverage decisions.
He questioned the timing of the designation, noting that it got here shortly after Nigeria reaffirmed its help for the two-state answer and the rights of the Palestinian individuals on the United Nations Basic Meeting.
“The so-called genocide narrative is being pushed by far-right and pro-Israeli actors. Their goal is to distract world consideration from the true genocide in Gaza and to punish Nigeria for standing with justice and worldwide legislation,” he mentioned.
The NSCIA emphasised that Nigeria’s partnerships with nations comparable to China and Saudi Arabia have been authentic diplomatic relationships, not spiritual alignments, and mustn’t appeal to hostility from Western nations.
“Since independence, Nigeria has maintained a non-aligned international coverage, selecting companions based mostly on mutual profit. We won’t permit our world partnerships for use as a pretext for destabilisation,” Oloyede defined.
The council additionally dismissed international requires the abolition of Sharia legislation, stressing that Nigeria’s Structure recognises three coexisting authorized programs; Widespread Legislation, Customary Legislation, and Sharia Legislation, every relevant solely to its adherents.
“It’s irrational for anybody to recommend that Sharia should be eradicated earlier than Nigeria might be accepted internationally. Sharia applies solely to Muslims, simply as Christian marriage legal guidelines apply solely to Christians. That is constitutional and honest,” Oloyede mentioned.
Reaffirming its dedication to peace and nationwide unity, the NSCIA urged each Muslims and Christians to withstand exterior manipulation and work collectively to beat insecurity and poverty.
“We inform our Christian brothers and sisters: you aren’t our enemies. We’re joint victims of failed governance and prison insurgency that targets all Nigerians with out distinction,” the NSCIA scribe declared.
Oloyede inspired the federal authorities to proceed diplomatic engagement with america however insisted that any real help should come via partnership moderately than interference.
“Real help requires collaboration and respect. No nation has the appropriate to threaten invasion or
impose itself on our sovereignty underneath the guise of non secular safety,” he mentioned.
The NSCIA known as on the worldwide neighborhood to reject divisive narratives and help Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen inner safety, rebuild neighborhood belief, and shield residents of all faiths.
“There isn’t any Christian genocide in Nigeria. What we face is a human disaster, not a spiritual one. Nigeria’s tragedy is rooted in poverty, local weather change, and criminality, and we should combat these collectively, not in opposition to one another,” Oloyede reiterated.
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