Lagos — The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has sounded the alarm over what it describes as an ongoing “Christian genocide” in the country, saying Christian communities are increasingly under siege.
At a recent emergency meeting, PFN President Bishop Francis Wale Oke called on President Bola Tinubu to overhaul Nigeria’s security architecture, accusing the government of indifference to persistent attacks on Christians. He pointed to unresolved cases like the killings in Plateau and Benue states, citing them as evidence of a systematic pattern of violence.
Bishop Oke lamented that many of the perpetrators remain unpunished, even in high-profile incidents such as the killing of Deborah Samuel, abductions of schoolgirls like Leah Sharibu, and past attacks in Chibok. He said these failures constitute more than a security challenge — they amount to a “cancer” threatening national unity.
Reacting to criticism from Islamist leaders, PFN rejected claims that Christians were “fabricating” their suffering. The group also strongly condemned public remarks by Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, who alleged that some Christian communities staged funerals to exaggerate fatalities.
In his appeal to President Tinubu, Bishop Oke urged collaboration with U.S. lawmakers, including former President Donald Trump, who has publicly raised concerns about religious persecution in Nigeria.
The PFN’s warning adds a new layer of pressure on the federal government as religious tensions continue to mount — especially in the Middle Belt and northern regions, where attacks on Christian communities have intensified in recent months.