Catholic Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Sokoto Diocese has refuted claims that Christians in Nigeria are victims of genocide, citing his extensive 1,270-page research study on genocide presented at the Vatican.
According to Kukah, the definition of genocide hinges on intent, not the number of casualties.
“Genocide is not based on the number of people killed. You can kill 10 million people and it still won’t amount to genocide. The critical determinant is intent; whether the aim is to eliminate a group of people,” he emphasized.
Kukah questioned the validity of figures circulating about church attacks, stating that 1,200 churches allegedly being burnt annually is unsubstantiated.
“Nobody approached the Catholic Church to get accurate data. We do not know where these figures came from,” he said.
He also challenged the narrative of Christian persecution in Nigeria, highlighting the significant influence Christians wield in the country’s economy and education.
“At least 80% of educated Nigerians are Christians, and up to 85% of the Nigerian economy is controlled by Christians. With such figures, how can anyone say Christians are being persecuted?”.
The bishop attributed the challenges faced by Christians to internal disunity rather than external persecution.
“The main problem is that Christians succumb to bullies. The day we decide to stand together, believing that an injury to one is an injury to all, these things will stop,” he urged.
Kukah’s stance contrasts with reports from organizations like the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, which documented over 52,000 persecuted Christians killed in Nigeria over 14 years.
The US government has also designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to severe violations of religious freedom.
