The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has dismissed alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria.

He said the intent of terrorists killings Nigerians must first be established to determine if it’s genocidal or not.

Mr Kukah, who spoke at 46th Supreme Convention of the Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) in Kaduna State, said genocide is not determined in the number of those killed but in the intent of the killers.

He said, “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.”

Dismissing alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria, Mr Kukah said, “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.”

The cleric said large population of Christians control the economy and forms the most educated population in Nigeria.

“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?,” Mr Kukah said.

He added, “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.”

The cleric noted that the data being circulated to support Christian Genocide in Nigeria  excluded the Catholic Church.

Mr Kukah said, “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.”

Though rampaging Fulani militias have not clearly stated their intentions of killing people, Boko Haram in 2012 said its agenda was to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, warning Christians in the region to leave.

Mr Kukah’s position came amid Christian genocide claim in Nigeria led by American lawmakers including Ted Cruz, Riley Moore, Nancy Mace and others. 

U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, threatening to deploy troops to the country if the Bola Tinubu government fails to curb the killings.