The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has declared that a Christian genocide is happening in Nigeria.
He called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cooperate with U.S. President Donald Trump in tackling what he described as a national tragedy that demands urgent global action.
Bishop Oke made the statement in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday, while addressing journalists on the worsening attacks on Christian communities across northern and central Nigeria.
“There is Christian genocide in Nigeria. There’s no other name to call it,” he said firmly. “No Christian group is attacking Muslims. The patience of the church is being stretched.”
His remarks come amid heightened tension following Trump’s recent comments labeling Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious persecution. Trump had vowed to confront what he described as the “mass killing of Christians in Nigeria,” drawing mixed reactions from both Nigerian authorities and international observers.
Oke highlighted numerous cases of targeted violence, including the murder of Deborah Samuel, the abduction of Leah Sharibu, and the mass killings in Benue, Taraba, Southern Kaduna, Owo, Niger, and Plateau States. He said hundreds of Christians and pastors have been slaughtered by extremist groups.
He clarified, however, that the violence was being carried out by radical Islamist groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, and splinter factions—not by the broader Muslim population.
“These radicals kill, burn, and destroy under the name of religion, but Islam as a faith should not be blamed,” the PFN leader stated.
Bishop Oke expressed gratitude to Trump for drawing global attention to the crisis but warned against any unilateral U.S. military action. Instead, he urged collaboration between Washington and Abuja to find a sustainable solution.
“President Tinubu should seek cooperation with President Trump, not confrontation,” he said. “Nigeria needs strategic support to root out terrorist groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP so that Nigerians can live in peace.”
Oke also reminded the federal government of its constitutional duty to protect all citizens regardless of faith or ethnicity. While acknowledging that the Tinubu administration inherited deep security challenges, he emphasized that decisive action can no longer be delayed.
“Government must stand up and stop playing politics with the killings. The time to act is now,” he added.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu is reportedly meeting with religious leaders following Trump’s warning about possible U.S. military action in response to the ongoing violence.
The PFN president insisted that genuine cooperation between both leaders could help end decades of bloodshed and restore hope to Nigerian Christians living under constant fear.