Nigerians have berated Bishop Mathew Kukah, the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese and Convener of the National Peace Committee (NPC), over his recent remarks debunking genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Speaking on the insecurity bedeviling the country, the renowned Catholic Bishop, popular for being vociferous on issues affecting the polity, mentioned that the killings of Christians in Nigeria does not amount to genocide.
“Genocide is not based on the number of people killed,” he said. ”You can kill 10 million people and it still won’t amount to genocide,” he added.
His statement in full reads, “They are saying that 1,200 churches are burnt in Nigeria every year, and I ask myself in which Nigeria? Interestingly, nobody approached the Catholic Church to get accurate data.
”We do not know where these figures came from. All those talking about persecution—has anyone ever called to ask, ‘Bishop Kukah, what is the situation?’
”The data being circulated cleverly avoids the Catholic Church because they know Catholics do not indulge in hearsay.”
“Genocide is not based on the number of people killed. You can kill 10 million people and it still won’t amount to genocide. The critical determinant is intent—whether the aim is to eliminate a group of people. So, you don’t determine genocide by numbers; you determine it by intention. We need to be more clinical in the issues we discuss.”
“If you are a Christian in Nigeria and you say you are persecuted, my question is: how? At least 80% of educated Nigerians are Christians, and up to 85% of the Nigerian economy is controlled by Christians. With such figures, how can anyone say Christians are being persecuted?”
“The main problem is that Christians succumb to bullies. The day we decide to stand together—believing that an injury to one is an injury to all—these things will stop.”
“Because someone is killed in a church, does that automatically make them a martyr? Whether you are killed while stealing someone’s yam or attacked by bandits, does that qualify as martyrdom? I am worried because we must think more deeply.”
“People say there is genocide in Nigeria. What I presented at the Vatican was a 1,270-page study on genocide in Nigeria and elsewhere. My argument is that it is not accurate to claim there is genocide or martyrdom in Nigeria.”
Kukah’s statement has led to various reactions from Nigerians, with many criticizing the clergyman for allegedly turning a blind eye ”to the realities on ground.”
Reacting to Kukah’s statement, a social media user, Olughu Franklin Nnamdi, stated on Facebook that the indigenous people of the cleric in southern Kaduna have been killed in large numbers by Islamic terrorists.
Describing Kukah’s statement as ”disappointing,” Nnamdi added that the brutal murder of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto state was on religious grounds.
Nnamdi said, ”Bishop Kukah is from Southern Kaduna, the same as Dr. Abel Damina. Islamic terrorists have been killing Kukah’s people and sacking villages.
”In fact, over 200,000 of his people have been displaced according to the Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU).
”Additionally, the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) reports that about 1,266 of Bishop Kukah’s brothers and sisters have been killed.
”This number correlates with what the then Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said: “In Kaduna State, 1,266 persons were killed and 4,973 kidnapped by terrorists in the last 15 months.” Keep in mind that these figures were released in 2023.
”Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah lives in Sokoto, and in the same Sokoto in 2022, a Christian girl named Deborah Samuel was stoned to death over her remarks in a class WhatsApp group. She was gruesomely murdered, and even as I write this, nobody has been held accountable.
”It is very disappointing that Kukah said yesterday, ‘You can kill 10 million people, and it still won’t amount to genocide.
”The critical determinant is intent—whether the aim is to eliminate a group of people. So, you don’t determine genocide by numbers; you determine it by intention.’
”Let me ask Bishop, What was the intent of stoning young Deborah to death in Sokoto? The terrorists who kill people in Northern Nigeria, do they shout, “Thank you, Jesus,” before killing hundreds of people?
”Bishop Kukah must not give intelligent but thoroughly exhausted Nigerians reasons to disrespect him. Enough.”
Also berating the cleric, Innocent Arinze, in his reaction, noted that many Nigerian Christians have died in the hands of Islamic jihadists.
”Whoever that said Christians are not being persecuted in Nigeria is an agent of Satan. The redeemed Christian church of God woman that was killed in Abuja just because she was preaching the gospel, was that not persecution?
”Deborah Samuel that was stoned to death just because she was a Christian, was that not persecution?
”Thousands Of people that have been killed in Northern Nigeria just because they are Christians, was that not persecution?
”How many people were murdered in cold blood at Kano just because Rainhard Bonke came to preach the gospel in Kano, was that not persecution. What else do you think is called genocide?” Arinze queried.
Maina Dawan urged the cleric to stop behaving like politicians who are often economical with the truth.
”There is no doubt that Bishop Kukah is an intelligent, a well read and a priest of integrity. But unfortunately, these qualities are beginning to leave him.
‘His responses to some national issues particularly the mass killings in some parts of this country is a concern to some of us.
”Please stop behaving like a politician. Be firmed to your calling and speak the truth, and nothing but the truth. That garment you always put on, should be accorded the respect it deserves,” Dawan stated.
Below are more reactions of Nigerians to Kukah’s denial of genocide against Christians in Nigeria.
Mary Akhatame, ”I use to respect him a lot the way he use to defends Churches, what has come over him?”
Orduen Ayertyo, ”We respect such Bishops before not knowing that hunger was the reason for their different perspectives on issues. But I know better now”
Eko Isaac Oko, ”Honestly, I’m struggling to understand what these men of God are trying not to say. I have listened to all of them, and while I understand their words, it’s the things they are avoiding to say that I’m confused about.
”Let’s be realistic, the terrorists involved in the killings ongoing in the Northern Nigeria are not Christians or traditional worshippers, and the undeniable fact is that about 80% of their victims are Christians, especially in Christian-dominated areas of Northern Nigeria, even up till today or tomorrow.
”So if Christian leaders like Kukah, Asimolowo, Oyedepo, Adeboye, Alia, and others are waiting for terrorists to come out and openly declare their motive before acknowledging what is clearly a pattern of targeted killings, then it means they are missing the point. In fact, it shows a lack of wisdom.
”It is better not to speak at all on sensitive national issues if one cannot address them without bias.”
Jacob Akolo, ”Power of money, what shall it profit a man to get the whole world and loss his soul.”
George Chibuike Brown, ”This Bishop Hassan Matthew Kukah’s talk reminds of Ola Rotimi’s play titled ‘Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again’. The catchy word here is ‘Again’. Our Bishop has done it again.”
Kingsley Iweanya, ”He has succeeded in collecting his own brown envelope hence his macabre dance in the public domain.”
Agada Julius Agada, ”Mr Kukah is the same like Mr Alia of Benue state. We know them and thank God that he is also from the Northern axis. He wants his seat secured.”
Anthonia Pascal, ”Rev Matthew Kuka has been vocal and very intelligent but I think that he’s battling with age. When a fish is old, it will no longer swim in the surface of the sea but rather it will swim down beneath the sea to play with the kid fishes, I think that’s exactly what Kuka should do for now.”
Musa Oveh, ”Kukah, is human. Sometimes we fall and rise again. May God have mercy on him.”
