Matthew Hassan Kukah to Global Community: “Don’t Designate Nigeria a Country of Concern”!

Sele Media Africa
www.selemedia.org
Reported by Amos Dachung | Sele Media Africa Reporter

At the launch of the Aid to the Church in Need (ACIN) 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom—held at the Augustinianum Hall in Vatican City—Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah appealed to global institutions to refrain from re‑labelling Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over religious persecution. He argued that such a designation would “hurt ongoing efforts” toward peace‑building and inter‑faith dialogue under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. [1]

Kukah did not deny Nigeria’s severe challenges—terrorism, communal killings, ethnic and religious violence—but he said the narrative of blanket persecution oversimplified the complex reality. He recalled that in his diocese of Sokoto, while problems persist, Christians and Muslims still collaborate, and he himself serves openly in his full ecclesiastical regalia. [2]

“Re‑designating Nigeria a Country of Concern will only increase tensions, sow doubt and fear, and allow criminals and perpetrators of violence to exploit our national trauma,” the Bishop warned. [2]
Kukah commended what he called “confidence‑building measures” under the Tinubu administration—citing appointments of Christians to key national roles despite a predominantly Muslim first family as signs of inclusivity and hope. [3]

He also issued calls for structural reforms: ensuring that northern states enforcing Sharia law align with the secular constitution, and for civil society and religious leaders to maintain pressure for systemic change. [4]

As debate mounts in Washington D.C. over whether Nigeria should be added back to the CPC list, Kukah’s plea underscores a growing divide between diplomatic pressure and on‑the‑ground efforts at reconciliation.

Citations:

1. Vanguard News: www.vanguardngr.com/2025/10/kukah-to-global-community-dont-designate-nigeria-a-country-of-concern/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
2. allAfrica.com: allafrica.com/stories/202510210555.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
3. Premium Times: www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/829605-why-nigeria-should-not-be-designated-a-country-of-concern-bishop-kukah.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com
4. GWG: gwg.ng/2025/10/21/why-nigeria-should-not-be-designated-a-country-of-concern-bishop-kukah/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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