The Muslim Rights Concern has accused the Christian Association of Nigeria of betrayal over alleged false claims of religious killings.
The group said CAN misled America despite President Tinubu’s fair treatment of Christians.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of betrayal, claiming that the Christian body has turned against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu despite his fair treatment of Christians in government appointments.
The group’s statement followed the recent decision by United States President Donald Trump to return Nigeria to the list of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged persecution and killings of Christians.
Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Founder and Executive Director of MURIC, expressed disappointment in what he described as CAN’s role in spreading misleading narratives about religious killings in Nigeria. According to him, some Christian leaders had written petitions to U.S. authorities alleging that only Christians were being targeted by terrorists, a claim he said distorted the country’s realities.
Akintola noted that despite the Nigerian government’s denial of any ongoing genocide against Christians, President Trump still went ahead to redesignate Nigeria as a country of concern, largely influenced by those petitions. He described the action as unfair and damaging to Nigeria’s image before the international community.
“It will be recalled that certain Christian leaders had written frivolous petitions to the U.S. Congress claiming that Christians were the only ones being killed by terrorists in Nigeria,” Akintola said. “Instead of debunking this false and misleading narrative, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) simply amplified it.”
MURIC insisted that the U.S. decision was based on misinformation and failed to consider the thousands of Muslims who have also fallen victim to insurgent and bandit attacks. The group maintained that the violence in Nigeria was not religious but a product of insecurity affecting citizens of all faiths.
Describing CAN’s actions as disappointing and unpatriotic, MURIC said the association should have supported national unity rather than endorsing divisive reports. The group argued that President Tinubu had shown goodwill to Christians through several key appointments and policies, and therefore deserved better support from CAN.
“CAN’s action is a stab in the back in view of President Tinubu’s preference for Christians in appointments, favours and privileges over and above his Muslim brethren,” MURIC stated.
The Islamic rights group urged CAN to act responsibly and avoid actions that could damage Nigeria’s reputation or fuel religious tension. It also called on the U.S. government to conduct a fair assessment of the situation before drawing conclusions based on biased reports.
