The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, has faced backlash following what has been described as a reversal of his previous position on the alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
An activist, Dr Thompson Udenwa, in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, criticised Bishop Kukah’s recent remarks, pointing out that they appeared to contradict his earlier calls for stronger international intervention against Nigeria over religious intolerance and violence targeting Christian communities.
Udenwa recalled that a few years ago, Bishop Kukah was among those who urged the United States Government to categorise Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, CPC, due to reports of church burnings, targeted killings, and attacks on Christian populations across the North and Middle Belt regions.
He, however, expressed concern that the cleric’s latest statements demonstrated what he described as an “inconsistency that should not be seen in political and religious leaders.”
According to Udenwa: “It is confusing that the same bishop who, in 2021, addressed the American Congress and lamented the Buhari administration’s alleged indifference to Christian persecution is now advocating against the very measure he once described as moral justice. Such a reversal weakens the credibility of religious advocacy and gives the impression that Bishop Kukah’s views are influenced by political sentiments than by principle.”
Udenwa’s reaction followed Bishop Kukah’s comments during the presentation of the Aid to the Church in Need, ACN, 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom, held on October 21, 2025, at the Augustinianum Hall in Vatican City.
At the event, Bishop Kukah acknowledged Nigeria’s security and governance challenges but urged the international community not to impose sanctions or diplomatically isolate the nation.
While recognising the cleric’s emphasis on dialogue, Udenwa argued that such a position could encourage government authorities to continue evading accountability for the recurring attacks on religious communities.
He maintained that religious leaders must be “consistent and selfless in their advocacy,” stressing that “truth should be upheld regardless of who is in power.”
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