NSCIA Urges Fairness and Restraint in Responses to Genocide Allegations

T The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has called for restraint, fairness, and balance in responses to allegations circulating on some international platforms and social media suggesting that a genocide is being perpetrated against Christians in Nigeria.

In a statement signed by its Deputy National Legal Adviser, Imam Haroun Muhammad Eze, the Council expressed appreciation for the prompt refutations by various government agencies and patriotic Nigerians, describing their interventions as acts of duty aimed at countering false and negative narratives being promoted by foreign interests.

The NSCIA cautioned certain Nigerians with what it described as “hidden motives” to desist from amplifying such misleading narratives, warning that their actions serve the agenda of external forces with vested interests in destabilizing the country.

Citing credible reports by U.S. agencies, the Council referenced the U.S. State Department’s 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom, which noted that “terrorists, bandits and armed criminal groups target mosques and churches indiscriminately in Nigeria.” The report further stated that in the first half of 2025 alone, numerous lives were lost across northern Nigeria—where Muslims are predominant—while thousands were displaced and left in dire need of humanitarian aid.

The Council also highlighted findings from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) 2025 Annual Report, which acknowledged that both Christians and Muslims have suffered attacks from criminal and terrorist elements.

Reaffirming its position, the NSCIA insisted that fairness and balance must guide public discourse and official responses to national issues to prevent the wrongful victimization of any group of Nigerians.

The statement concluded by reiterating the Council’s unwavering belief in one united and indivisible Nigeria, pledging its continued commitment to peace, justice, and national unity even in the face of provocation.