Re-Designating Nigeria As “Country Of Concern” Can Complicate Peace Efforts, Bishop Kukah Tells US In Vatican

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah, has kicked against re-designating  Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over religious freedom, being floated by the United States of America (USA).
Speaking at the launch of the Aid to the Church in Need (ACIN) 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom in the World at the Augustinianum Hall in Vatican City, Bishop Kukah said that such a move being made in the US Congress would “hurt ongoing efforts” to promote dialogue, national healing, and interfaith understanding.
“Re-designating Nigeria a Country of Concern will only make our work in the area of dialogue among religious leaders even harder.”
Instead, Bishop Kukah advised global institutions to recognise the complexity of Nigeria’s struggle and assist in rebuilding trust among its diverse communities.”
While acknowledging the role of international watchdogs, he said that another designation now would only “undermine fragile interfaith efforts.
“Nigeria must stand before the mirror and decide how to create a country of common citizenship.
“The goal should be to help us reform, not to stigmatize. We need encouragement to build peace, not labels that isolate us.
“I appeal to President Donald Trump, who is already working hard for peace in the Middle East, to lift the restrictions and help Nigeria access the tools it needs to defeat terror.”
The clergyman said that though Nigeria remains deeply troubled by violence, discrimination and insecurity, but that there are encouraging signs of progress that should be strengthened, not punished.
He warned that
re-designating Nigeria a Country of Concern would increase tensions, “sow doubt, open windows of suspicion and fear, and simply allow the criminals and perpetrators of violence to exploit. What Nigeria needs now is vigilance and partnership, not punishment.”
Bishop Kukah, who is respected as one of Nigeria’s leading voices on human rights and interfaith relations, acknowledged that the country had failed in many respects to protect citizens’ rights to worship freely.
According to him, under former President Muhammadu Buhari, religious persecution, particularly against Christians, “was visible and egregious,” marked by exclusionary policies and the capture of federal power by northern Muslims.
“The Buhari administration marked the worst phase in the history of interfaith relations in Nigeria.
“That government gave oxygen to jihadists through policies that overtly favoured Islam and northern Nigeria.”
He said that the Tinubu administration has so far shown “a willingness to listen and to act inclusively.”
He cited the appointment of Christians to strategic national positions, including the Chief of Defence Staff, the Director of the State Security Service, the INEC Chairman and the National Chairman of the ruling party as “confidence-building measures that inspire a sense of belonging.”
Bishop Kukah also commended President Tinubu for visiting Benue State after the recent Yelwata killings, describing the visit and his empathy for victims as “a departure from Buhari’s silence and indifference.”
Acknowledging that Christian minorities in northern Nigeria still face discrimination, including denial of land for church buildings, refusal to rebuild destroyed places of worship, and restricted access to religious education, the Bishop said that Nigeria’s reality cannot be simplified as state-backed religious oppression.
“We are not dealing with people going around wielding machetes to kill me because I am a Christian.
“I live in Sokoto, in the womb of Islam, and I move freely in my regalia. The Sultan of Sokoto himself attended our events and provided support for our work. This is not to say there are no problems, but the daily realities of interfaith life in Nigeria are far more complex.”
He said that while terrorists and extremist groups have targeted Christians, they have also attacked Muslims who reject their ideology, turning large parts of Nigeria into “a tragic killing field.”
The bishop warned against the simplistic labelling of Nigeria as a country of religious oppression, arguing that such narratives overlook the multifaceted nature of its crisis, driven by weak governance, poverty, ethnicity and organized crime as much as by religion.
He recalled that the United States had previously placed Nigeria on the “Countries of Particular Concern” list under the Donald Trump administration but later removed it under President Joe Biden.
Bishop Kukah expressed optimism that the current government’s inclusiveness and the symbolic interfaith makeup of the First Family, with the President as a Muslim and the First Lady a Pentecostal pastor offer “a window of hope.”