BY EDMOND ODOK – Against the backdrop of controversial reports surrounding his comments on the alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, The Kukah Centre (TKC) has issued an official clarification on the issue.
The Centre maintained that recent reports have misrepresented comments made by its founder, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, on the issue of religious freedom and the persecution of Christians in Northern Nigeria.
A statement issued on Monday by TKC said it has followed with concern the growing public reactions to remarks attributed to Bishop Kukah, insisting that parts of his comments were selectively reported and taken out of context.
The statement explained that the controversial reports stemmed from two separate events: “The launch of the 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom at the Vatican on October 21, 2025”, and “The 46th Supreme Convention of the Knights of St. Mulumba in Kaduna on October 28, 2025”.
According to the Centre, at no time did Bishop Kukah downplay, deny, or trivialize the persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
On the contrary, it noted that during his Vatican address, the Catholic cleric openly acknowledged the severity of the crisis and blamed years of government failure and security lapses for the escalation of violence across several communities.
The statement quoted Bishop Kukah as warning that government inaction has allowed insecurity to deteriorate to levels resembling genocide in parts of the country, adding that many Nigerians are being targeted due to both religious and ethnic identities.
The Centre further stated that at the Knights of St. Mulumba Convention in Kaduna, Bishop Kukah spoke from a historical and faith-based perspective, which traced Christian persecution back to the time of Christ.
It said the Catholic Bishop’s remarks encouraged believers to remain steadfast in faith, unity, justice, and healing, rather than denying the reality of modern-day persecution as reported by some media and online platforms
Describing the respected Priest as a lifelong advocate for justice and religious tolerance, the TKC said his record clearly reflects zero tolerance for persecution, strong solidarity with victims, and calls for accountability against perpetrators.
Importantly, while amplifying its demand that religious persecution must end in Nigeria, the Centre also sought justice for victims, and decisive action against all forms of extremism nationwide.
This is as the Centre said the full texts of both speeches in question have been made publicly available on its official website to encourage transparent and accurate reporting.
