Bishop Adegbite Denies ‘Christian Genocide’ Claims, Seeks US Support for Peace

By Chinedu Echianu

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Bishop Stephen Adegbite, has dismissed recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump alleging a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, describing them as inaccurate and potentially dangerous.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Adegbite, who also chairs the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State Chapter, said while Christian communities have suffered greatly from terrorist attacks, kidnappings, and banditry, Muslims and other groups have equally endured similar ordeals across the country.

“Churches have been attacked, pastors kidnapped, and communities displaced, but it is equally true that Muslim villages in Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Sokoto, and Borno have been destroyed,” Adegbite stated. “No community can claim to have been spared. Nigeria’s crisis is not a religious war, but a national security emergency rooted in terrorism and criminality.”

Citing data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), the cleric noted that between 2020 and 2025, more than 20,000 civilians were killed in over 9,900 attacks across Nigeria.

Independent findings by the Observatory of Religious Freedom in Africa (ORFA) also show that both Christians and Muslims have been victims — with at least 16,769 Christians and 6,235 Muslims killed in that period.

Adegbite emphasized that religious leaders in Nigeria continue to work together under the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) to promote peace, dialogue, and mutual understanding.

“When one community suffers, the entire nation bleeds,” he said. “Our message remains consistent — terrorism has no religion, and banditry has no faith.”

While acknowledging the suffering of victims and displaced families, Adegbite commended ongoing military operations against insurgents in the North-East, North-West, and Middle Belt regions.

He noted that several terrorist leaders have been neutralized, kidnappers arrested, and communities resettled.

However, he warned that alarmist rhetoric and threats of foreign military intervention could worsen Nigeria’s fragile security situation.

“Nigeria is a complex, multi-ethnic democracy with over 220 million people and more than 250 ethnic nationalities. Describing our crisis as a ‘Christian genocide’ risks inflaming divisions and misinforming the global community,” he cautioned.

“What we need is partnership, not threats — cooperation in intelligence sharing, counterterrorism training, and humanitarian aid, not ‘gun-blazing’ intervention.”

Adegbite urged international observers and advocacy groups to engage with verified facts and support peacebuilding initiatives rather than divisive narratives.

“We appreciate every voice raised for the protection of the persecuted,” he said. “But let the truth be told: Nigeria’s battle is not Christians versus Muslims; it is Nigerians versus terror.”

He concluded by appealing to both local and international partners to focus on rebuilding communities, strengthening justice systems, and fostering education and coexistence.

“Nigeria’s story is not one of genocide,” Adegbite affirmed. “It is the story of a resilient people determined to overcome terror, protect their faiths, and preserve unity.”