Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has urged the United States not to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over religious freedom.
He warned that such a move would “hurt ongoing efforts” to promote dialogue, national healing, and interfaith understanding under the Tinubu Administration.
Also yesterday, presidential aide Daniel Bwala alleged that there is an orchestrated move by some individuals in the United States Congress to present Nigeria in a negative light to attract sanctions by President Donald Trump.
Speaking at the launch of the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom in the World at the Augustinianum Hall, Vatican City, Kukah acknowledged that Nigeria remains plagued by violence and discrimination.
He, however, noted that “encouraging signs of progress” should be strengthened, not punished.
He canvassed support for the government to crush terrorists instead of labelling the country.
“Redesignating Nigeria a Country of Concern will only make our work in the area of dialogue among religious leaders even harder,” Kukah said.
“It will increase tensions, sow doubt, open windows of suspicion and fear, and allow criminals and perpetrators of violence to exploit divisions.
“What Nigeria needs now is vigilance and partnership, not punishment.”
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz had accused Nigerian officials of facilitating the mass murder of Christians, describing the situation as a genocide against Christians.
He claimed that since 2009, tens of thousands of Christians have been killed, thousands of churches destroyed, and Christian communities targeted by Islamist militants, particularly Boko Haram and its splinter groups.
Cruz has introduced legislation called the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act, intended to sanction Nigerian officials who he alleges have ignored or even promoted violence against Christians.
He is also pushing for Nigeria to be designated a “country of particular concern” for severe violations of religious freedom, a status that could lead to U.S. sanctions.
The Federal Government has consistently denied that it is carrying out, or complicit in, a systematic genocide against Christians.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described claims of genocide as “false, baseless, despicable and divisive,” warning that such narratives misrepresent Nigeria’s complex security challenges.
