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…Says Re-designation Will Hurt Ongoing Peace Efforts, Dialogue Among Faiths
VATICAN CITY — Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, has urged the planetary assemblage not to re-designate Nigeria arsenic a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) implicit alleged spiritual persecution, informing that specified a determination could undermine ongoing efforts to foster bid and interfaith dialogue.
Speaking astatine the motorboat of the Aid to the Church successful Need (ACIN) 2025 World Report connected Religious Freedom successful the World held astatine the Augustinianum Hall, Vatican City, connected October 21, Bishop Kukah acknowledged the country’s deep-seated challenges but insisted that Nigeria should beryllium supported — not punished — arsenic it works to flooded spiritual unit and nationalist disunity.
The report, which spans 1,248 pages, documents a planetary diminution successful spiritual freedom, with much than 5.4 cardinal radical surviving successful countries wherever specified rights are restricted. It identifies authoritarianism, spiritual extremism, ethno-religious nationalism, and organized transgression arsenic cardinal drivers of persecution crossed the world.
Kukah, delivering a insubstantial titled “A Plea and Testimony from Nigeria,” said that portion Nigeria continues to grapple with terrorism, insecurity, and taste tensions, the concern cannot simply beryllium categorized arsenic targeted persecution of Christians.
“We are not dealing with radical going astir wielding machetes to termination maine due to the fact that I americium a Christian,” helium said. “I unrecorded and enactment successful Sokoto, close successful the womb of Islam, wherever collaboration betwixt Christians and Muslims remains possible. Our lives should beryllium defined by a amended narrative.”
The cleric, however, admitted that Nigeria’s information breakdown has created conditions for what helium described arsenic “genocide” successful immoderate communities, citing the national and authorities governments’ nonaccomplishment to incorporate unit and support citizens.
“Nigerians are dying unacceptable deaths crossed the state — not lone due to the fact that of their religion but besides their ethnicity. We are successful the cusp of a anemic authorities with a wide deficiency of capableness to apprehension the descent into anarchy,” Kukah lamented.
He described the 8 years nether erstwhile President Muhammadu Buhari arsenic “the worst signifier successful interfaith relations,” accusing the medication of policies that alienated Christians and emboldened jihadists.
“Under Buhari, to summation power, it was much important to beryllium a bluish Muslim than to beryllium a national of Nigeria,” helium said.
In contrast, Bishop Kukah noted that President Bola Tinubu’s medication has shown inclusiveness and goodwill done caller appointments that equilibrium spiritual practice successful government.
“The President and Vice President are Muslims, yet Christians person not felt alienated. The Chief of Defence Staff, the Director of DSS, and the INEC Chairman are Christians. These are confidence-building measures aimed astatine restoring spot among Nigerians,” helium observed.
Citing the Global Terrorism Index Report 2025, Kukah acknowledged a 37 percent diminution successful violent attacks successful 2024 but cautioned that spiritual individuality inactive plays a decisive relation successful violence, peculiarly against Christians successful bluish Nigeria.
He besides called connected the authorities to guarantee afloat law compliance crossed each states, peculiarly regarding the exertion of Sharia instrumentality successful 12 bluish states, which helium said fuels mob justness and discrimination.
“The President should spell to tribunal to person the adoption of Sharia instrumentality declared unconstitutional. The secular authorities anticipated by the Constitution indispensable beryllium enforced,” helium said.
Kukah further highlighted subtle forms of persecution faced by Christian minorities successful the North, specified arsenic denial of onshore for religion construction, deficiency of entree to spiritual acquisition successful nationalist schools, and exclusion from employment opportunities.
On planetary relations, the Bishop cautioned that re-designating Nigeria arsenic a “Country of Concern” would hinder the advancement of ongoing interreligious dialog and authorities collaboration with civilian society.
“Such a designation w...
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