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Reverend (Dr.) Supo Ayokunle, former President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and former President of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, has insisted that Nigeria is experiencing a “clear and undeniable genocide” against Christians, blaming government complacency, institutional bias, and the continued rise of extremist violence for the worsening crisis.
He made the assertion as a guest speaker during a virtual conference organised by the Network of African Christian Journalists (NACJOURN) with the theme: “Genocide: Truth or Fiction?” The former CAN President maintained that the systematic killing of Christians across the country—particularly in the North—meets every definition of genocide, and he therefore urged the international community, especially U.S. President Donald Trump, to intervene decisively.
The killings are genocide, not coincidence
Ayokunle, who hold a national honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON) who also served nine years in CAN leadership, said he has raised the alarm repeatedly since 2011 but successive Nigerian governments have refused to confront the truth. According to him, anyone who honestly observes the pattern of violence would recognise that Christians are being targeted.
“If you are a normal human being with your eyes open, you do not need anyone to convince you that what is happening to Christians in Nigeria is genocide,” he said bluntly.
He narrated how extremists routinely attack Christian-majority communities, sack villages, burn churches, and kill scores of worshippers without provoking a corresponding government response. As an example, Ayokunle recounted a massacre he witnessed firsthand in Miango, Plateau State, where Fulani militants killed 21 villagers in one night—20 of them members of a Baptist congregation.
“We buried them in a mass grave,” he recalled. “People advised me not to go there, but we went because the number already killed is genocide. These attackers deliberately targeted churches.”
He noted that no traditional or Islamic leaders visited the grieving communities, which he interpreted as a tacit sign of complicity.
Extremists openly declared their agenda
Ayokunle criticised attempts by some Islamic groups and government officials to downplay the killings or dismiss them as mere clashes. He argued that extremist elements have clearly stated their mission for more than a decade.
Referencing Boko Haram’s ideological declarations, he said: “These people did not hide their agenda. Mohammed Yusuf and Abubakar Shekau openly said their goal was to establish an Islamic order in Nigeria. They threatened to wipe out anyone who opposed them, including Muslims who resisted their plans.”
He added that attackers justify killing Christians by branding them infidels and enemies of their ideology. “They said all churches and anything representing government are Western and forbidden,” he noted, citing reports from the U.S. and Australian religious freedom monitoring agencies that documented the pattern of anti-Christian attacks in Nigeria.
Government denial encourages more killings
Ayokunle expressed deep frustration over what he described as government complicity or, at best, negligence. He questioned why official statements consistently deny the existence of genocide despite years of documented massacres.
“How can a government that should protect its citizens say there is no genocide?” he asked. “When will the killings become genocide? Is it when all Christians are wiped out?”
He lamented that for over 15 years, thousands of Christians have been killed annually, yet authorities offer only promises and no action. He accused some leaders of protecting sponsors of terrorism and refusing foreign assistance that could expose the financiers of extremist violence.
“Why do they not want America to come?” he queried. “If there is nothing to hide, let America help identify those financing terrorism, whether they are in power or hiding elsewhere.”
Appeal to President Donald Trump: “Help us stop this genocide”
In a striking moment during the conference, Ayokunle openly appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump to intervene in Nigeria’s security crisis. He said Trump’s recent comments on Nigeria reflect a deep understanding of the situation and may offer a ray of hope.
“I see Trump’s voice as help from above,” he stated. “If our leaders will not listen to us because we have no weapons, they will listen when the person they buy weapons from speaks. America knows what is happening.”
He urged President Trump to support efforts to expose and eliminate financiers and commanders of extremist groups, just as the U.S. has done in targeting global terror networks.
“The troublers of Nigeria should be removed one by one so the country can know peace,” he said. “Unless we cut off the supply to terrorists, we will not heave a sigh of relief.”
Ayokunle insisted he does not seek bloodshed but wants aggressive international pressure to compel accountability and dismantle terror networks.
Institutional discrimination against Christians
Beyond the killings, Ayokunle highlighted structural discrimination against Christians across northern Nigeria. He cited decades of documented persecution ranging from denial of church-building permits to exclusion from educational opportunities.
He narrated a discussion with a northern deputy governor who admitted that Christian students—even with high scores—were routinely denied admission to core professional courses such as medicine, pharmacy, and law in state universities.
“Some students have to change their names to gain admission,” Ayokunle added. “How can this be called democracy? Our leaders know these things and do nothing.”
He further criticised the Nigerian constitution, describing it as “tilted toward Islam” because it was established under military decree and continues to embed Islamic legal principles in a supposedly secular state.
Christians are becoming second-class citizens
The former CAN president stated that indigenous northern Christians are treated as inferior citizens in their ancestral lands. He said local governments and state authorities routinely deny them land, political appointments, or access to equal opportunities.
According to him, extremists are taking advantage of this structural imbalance to push for full Islamisation through violence and intimidation.
“When Muslims kill Muslims, it is internal to their religion,” he said. “But when they cross the line and begin killing Christians, that is persecution. That is genocide.”
Security agencies failing to act
Ayokunle further questioned the role of Nigeria’s security agencies, alleging selective justice in their operations. He recalled the case of a senior military officer who neutralised a Boko Haram commander but was abruptly retired afterward.
“How do you justify retiring someone for eliminating a terrorist?” he asked. “Meanwhile, the same government publicly paraded armed robbers. Why are terrorists being protected?”
He said Nigerians no longer trust the security architecture because it consistently fails to prevent mass killings or bring sponsors of terrorism to justice.
A call for collective awakening
Ayokunle reiterated that Christians cannot remain silent while extremists consolidate power. He warned that the silence encouraged by government inaction could lead Nigeria down the same path as Afghanistan, where insurgents overran the nation after years of slow but intentional expansion.
“They want us to keep quiet until Islamic fundamentalists take over the entire land,” he warned. “But we are not ignorant of their devices. We must speak, and the world must listen.”
Reverend Ayokunle’s message at the NACJOURN conference was emphatic: Nigeria is experiencing genocide against Christians, and the government’s denial only emboldens the attackers. He called for stronger international involvement, particularly from President Donald Trump and the United States, to help dismantle terror networks and expose those sponsoring extremist violence. Beyond physical attacks, he warned of structural persecution that threatens the future of millions of Christians in northern Nigeria.
His appeal reflected the desperation of communities that feel abandoned by their government and trapped in a widening circle of violence. “I don’t want bloodshed,” he said, “but if President Trump will help end this mess, that is enough for me.”
Report by Dayo Emmanuel
