The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria, Kaduna State chapter, has criticised the United States government over its recent designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” on alleged persecution of Christians, describing the move as biased and unbalanced.
The US, under the Donald Trump administration, recently classified Nigeria among countries accused of failing to protect religious freedom, a position that has generated intense reactions locally.
In a Sunday statement issued in Kaduna, the Secretary of the Council in the state, Hassan Rahman, said the American government was relying on a “one-sided narrative” that does not reflect the realities of insecurity and violence in the country.
“The Council is not happy with this development on allegations regarding Christian genocide in Nigeria.
“The Trump administration should have sought a balanced perspective on the situation before jumping to conclusions,” he said.
According to him, statistics show that Muslims have also suffered significantly across several hotspots, insisting that the crisis cannot be reduced to a single religious agenda.
“By statistics, it’s clear that Muslims are mostly the victims in various instances.
“Attributing these tensions solely to religious motivations oversimplifies the realities on the ground and undermines efforts toward national unity and peace,” he added.
Abdul Rahman further accused Western governments of selective empathy, alleging that global attention only rises when Christians are affected, while killings of Muslims are often ignored.
“Wherever Muslims are killed, it doesn’t concern the West or the US.
“They always highlight issues affecting Christians while remaining silent on violence against Muslims.
“This bias breeds distrust and alienation among Muslim communities everywhere,” he said.
He said to Christian Association of Nigeria, “who initiated these lies, they should know that when Nigeria sinks, may Allah forbid, it’s all of us that will bear the brunt.
“Christians, Muslims, not even pagans will be spared,” he warned.
The Council urged Nigerians not to allow foreign governments to influence domestic religious relations, stressing that unity was essential to overcoming insecurity.
“We must solve our differences without inviting bloodthirsty imperialists to destroy the only nation we have,” he said.
Abdul Rahman also called on the federal government to respond decisively to Washington’s decision.
“The government must do more than issue statements through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Stern action must be taken, even if it means cutting diplomatic ties, to show the gravity of the situation,” he concluded.
PUNCH Online had reported that United States President Donald Trump declared Nigeria as a ‘country of particular concern’ in response to allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
Trump announced his decision in a Truth Social post on Friday, which was shared on the White House’s X handle.
According to a publication by the Family Research Council in 2022, to declare a country a “country of particular concern” is an official designation typically made by the US government, primarily the Secretary of State, under specific US laws.
The exact meaning and implications of the designation depend on the specific legislation applied, but it generally indicates that the country engages in activities detrimental to US interests or universal human rights standards.
