NSCIA rejects US watchlist, says Nigeria not in religious war

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has rejected the redesignation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” by US President Donald Trump.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday at the end of a meeting of all Islamic organisations in Nigeria, Ishaq Oloyode, secretary-general of the NSCIA, said the security situation in Nigeria is multidimensional but not a religious war.

Oloyede said the decision Trump to include Nigeria on the CPC list was “an act of political cynicism”, adding that the country’s security challenges stem from poor governance, climate stress, and criminality — not religion.

“We have not been emphasising the killing of Muslims, not because we are unaware that Muslims are being killed, but because we do not view what is going on as a religious war, but as a national security issue,” he said.

He accused “Islamophobic and unpatriotic groups” in the UU of promoting false narratives that portray Nigeria as a country legalising “Christian genocide”.

“It is very unfortunate that the President of the United States labelled our country in such disgraceful terms,” Oloyede said.

“Nigeria deserves collaboration and support, not the use of derogatory language from a supposed partner.”

The NSCIA said the US designation appeared to be a pretext to destabilise Nigeria, adding that international conventions, including the Rome Statute, define genocide as “an act requiring intent to destroy a particular group, a condition it said does not exist in the country”.

Citing data and research from groups like Amnesty International and the International Crisis Group, Oloyede said both Muslims and Christians are victims of widespread violence across the country.

“Terrorist groups like ISWAP and Boko Haram kill indiscriminately — they attack mosques and churches; they do not differentiate. These terrorists are not representatives of Islam; they are its enemies,” Oloyede said.

He alleged that some U.S. politicians and local separatists were exploiting Nigeria’s crisis for political and financial gain.

“There are foreign instigators who exploit this situation to energise their domestic evangelical base. Some Nigerians abroad also fabricate stories of persecution to obtain asylum and media visibility,” he said.

The NSCIA also expressed disappointment with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) for “amplifying falsehoods”, while commending Christian leaders who have acknowledged that the violence in Nigeria was not religiously motivated.

Oloyede urged the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to protect all citizens and hold both local and foreign actors accountable.

“Running to America or foreign lobbyists will not solve Nigeria’s problems. If Nigeria is again designated as a country of particular concern, all citizens will suffer — Muslims and Christians alike,” he said.

The NSCIA called on Trump to retract his remarks and offer a genuine partnership through intelligence sharing, logistics, and human capacity development.

“Partnership, not prejudice, is what Nigeria needs. We will not allow our country to be fragmented by a foreign agenda. Our unity as a nation will endure,” Oloyede added.

Reporting by Yekeen Akinwale and Monsuroh Abdulsemiu.