The Kukah Centre (TKC) has said that remarks made by its founder, Matthew Kukah, on Nigeria’s insecurity challenges, especially regarding the killings of Christians in Northern Nigeria, were misrepresented.
The Executive Director of The Kukah Centre, Atta Barkindo, stated this in a statement on Monday.
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In recent days, some Nigerians, especially on social media, have criticised Mr Kukah over a viral comment attributed to him regarding the alleged genocide against Christians in the country.
The comment suggested that the cleric had downplayed the persecution of Christians and denied the existence of genocide, a position many Nigerians, particularly Christian groups, found unacceptable amid ongoing attacks across several parts of the North.
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As a result, many social media users have accused the cleric of being insensitive, politically aligned, or disconnected from the realities confronting vulnerable communities.
However, the Director of the Kukah Centre clarified in the statement that at no point did Mr Kukah, popularly known as Bishop Kukah, downplay the killings of Christians in Nigeria. Instead, he said the Bishop’s statements have consistently affirmed the persecution faced by Christian communities.
Mr Barkindo said the misrepresentation originated from the cleric’s remarks at two separate events, which were the launch of the 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom at the Vatican on 21 October and the 46th Supreme Convention of the Knights of St. Mulumba held in Kaduna on 28 November.
He stressed that Mr Kukah’s statements from the two events were deliberately distorted to change the narrative on the persecution of Christians.
“These reports have emanated in connection with, first, the comments by His Lordship at the launch of the 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom, delivered at the Vatican City on 21 October, 2025; and, second, his remarks to the 46th Supreme Convention of the Knights of St. Mulumba in Kaduna on 28 November, 2025.
“For the avoidance of doubt, at no point has His Lordship diminished the seriousness of the crisis of faith-based persecution in parts of Nigeria nor has he failed to identify with the very real sufferings caused by it,” he said.
What Bishop Kukah said
Clarifying Mr Kukah’s Vatican speech, Mr Barkindo said the cleric explicitly acknowledged the killings of Christians and the failure of federal and state governments to curb the violence.
“Indeed, the contrary is the case. In paragraph 5 of his 13-paragraph remarks to the event in the Vatican on 21 October, His Lordship said among other things as follows: “what is important is not to create the impression that we have no problems. We do have serious problems, but these have escalated because the federal and state governments have, over the years, allowed these problems to fester. The inability of the federal government and its security agencies to end these killings has created the condition for the genocide that has taken over many communities today. By whatever names we choose, the fact is that Nigerians are dying unacceptable deaths across the country. In many cases, they are targeted because of their beliefs but also because of their ethnicity.” (Link to speech on TKC website),” he said.
The Director of the Kukah Centre added that the remarks attributed to Mr Kukah at the St. Mulumba Convention, Kaduna, were similarly distorted.
He said that during his speech at the convention, Mr Kukah highlighted the history of Christian persecution, dating back to the Crucifixion, and encouraged Christian communities to remain steadfast in faith, solidarity, justice and healing.
To curb further misrepresentation, Mr Barkindo said the full texts of Mr Kukah’s remarks at both events have been made available on the centre’s website for public access.
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“His position could hardly have been clearer. The remarks attributed to His Lordship in the latter event clearly again mischaracterised his thrust. At the St. Mulumba Convention in Kaduna, His Lordship highlighted the long history of persecution of Christians going back to the Crucifixion of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the fate that befell most of his disciples, and sought to encourage Christian communities in faith, solidarity, justice, and healing, even in these trying times. The text & structure of the (PowerPoint) clearly indicate that His Lordship sought to validate the persecution of Christians rather than to diminish or deny it. (Link to presentation on TKC website)
“These faith, solidarity, Justice, and healing are goals to which His Lordship has made a life-long commitment and in whose pursuit, he yields to no one. In order to encourage accurate and coherent reporting of the remarks of His Lordship & to discourage the misattributions that appear to now persist, TKC is making these available on our website and they can be accessed by anyone interested,” he added.
Mr Barkindo reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to advocating for religious freedom and accountability.
“TKC continues to urge zero tolerance for religious persecution; solidarity with the victims and affected communities; and accountability for the perpetrators.
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