Two Islamic groups, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) and the Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC), have lampooned the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Makurdi, Benue State, Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe, over what they describe as spreading falsehood on Islamisation of Nigeria and killing of Christians in the country.
The Islamic groups in separate statements signed by Dr. Nafiu Baba-Ahmad, the SCSN Secretary General and Disu Kamor, the Executive Chairman of MPAC, said they were highly disappointed by the comments made by Bishop Anagbe when he appeared before the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Africa Sub-Ccommittee on 12th March, 2025, in the US, where he claimed that Christians in Benue and other parts of the country were being killed indiscriminately and schools shut in 12 states of northern Nigeria during the ongoing Ramadan fasting as part of Islamisation agenda of the country.
The organisations called on the federal government to investigate and prosecute Bishop Anagbe for spreading what can best be described as falsehood against Nigeria as his action and remarks could cause a religious crisis in the country.
In the SCSN statement, the group said that the Catholic priest briefing before the U.S. Congress, in which he ‘propagated hateful rhetoric and blatant falsehoods, is not only an embarrassment to the Nigerian government but also a matter of deep concern for its law-abiding citizens, both Muslim and Christian.’
“His (Anagbe) insinuation that the Nigerian government is complicit effectively suggests that the current Governor of Benue State, himself a Catholic priest, is part of the alleged conspiracy,” it said.
“This is a profoundly reckless and unfounded accusation against the very institutions responsible for governance, implying not only the complicity of the Federal Governments, and that even a Christian priest-governor is involved.
“Clearly the bishop has exposed the contradictions and malicious intent behind his claims, which appear to be deliberately aimed at fostering distrust and inciting religious tensions. The council (SCSN) remains committed to countering the malicious lies of conflict merchants who, under the guise of religious leadership, seek to sow seeds of discord and fuel violence in our fragile nation.
“Even in places where flags of Islamophobia are allowed to blossom, the world is a lot wiser and no longer a place where falsehoods can thrive unchallenged, as facts are verifiable at the click of a button.
“For instance, recent reports from multiple credible sources, including the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), the Global Terrorism Index, and even Christian organizations such as the East-West Christian Association, paint a more accurate picture of Nigeria’s security challenges.
“These reports emphasize that the country’s insecurity crisis is a complex interplay of insurgency, banditry, and ethnic conflicts affecting all communities. The violence does not exclusively target Christians; rather, both Christian and Muslim civilians are victims of these challenges.
“Evidence suggests that factors such as insurgency, economic disparities, ethnic conflicts, and organized crime significantly contribute to the unrest. The overarching pattern points to a broader anti-state agenda rather than a purely religious conflict.
“We urge the Nigerian Christian community to dissociate itself from such inflammatory rhetoric and actively debunk these dangerous lies.
“Religious leaders have a responsibility to promote peace, not division and silence in the face of such blatant misinformation not only serves to embolden those who seek to destabilize the nation, but is also a strong indication of criminal complicity.”
On its part, the MPAC said Bishop Anagbe’s testimony contains many unsubstantiated allegations and dangerous claims.
According to Kamor, one of the most outrageous allegations of the Bishop is that “Christians in Benue State, which is governed almost entirely by Christians, has 98% Christian population (according to the Bishop), is under existential threat from “
Islamist extremists”.
Kamor said that the “logic of this allegation is that 2% of the population, is terrorizing, and poses an existential threat to the 98% of the population that is totally in control of all the aspects of the life in Benue State, including the control of resources and security apparatus.
Source: Ripples Nigeria
