December 04, (THEWILL) — The Kukah Centre (TKC) has dismissed circulating claims suggesting that its founder, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has in any way downplayed the severity of faith-based persecution in Nigeria.
The Centre described the reports as a distortion of the Bishop’s long-standing advocacy for religious freedom and the protection of vulnerable Christian communities across the country.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Fr. Atta Barkindo, Ph.D, TKC said the misrepresentations stemmed from selective and misleading interpretations of Bishop Kukah’s recent public engagements, including his address at the 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom launch in the Vatican on October 21, and his remarks at the 46th Supreme Convention of the Knights of St. Mulumba in Kaduna on November 28.
“For the avoidance of doubt, at no point has His Lordship diminished the seriousness of faith-based persecution in Nigeria, nor has he ever wavered in identifying the root causes of violence against Christians”, the Centre said.
TKC noted that in his Vatican address, Bishop Kukah explicitly drew attention to Nigeria’s rising insecurity, the failure of both federal and state governments to curb killings, and the tragic rate at which innocent citizens continue to perish in targeted attacks.
The statement emphasised that the Bishop warned that persistent governance failures have created “conditions for genocide” in several vulnerable regions.
The Centre also clarified that in Kaduna, Bishop Kukah revisited the centuries-long history of Christian persecution, beginning with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and urged Christians to remain steadfast in faith, solidarity, justice and healing.
According to TKC, the Bishop’s message was one of resilience and commitment to justice, not denial of the harsh realities faced by Christians today.
“It is unfortunate that a few commentators have chosen to cherry-pick phrases from his speeches to advance narratives that are completely inconsistent with his written and spoken record”, the Centre stated.
To ensure transparency and accuracy, TKC announced that the full texts of Bishop Kukah’s presentations at both events have been published on the Centre’s website for public access.
The organisation reaffirmed its unwavering stance against religious persecution and expressed its continued commitment to advocating justice, supporting victims, and holding perpetrators accountable.
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