The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) of “betraying” President Bola Ahmed Tinubu despite what it described as his fair and generous treatment of Christians in federal appointments.
The allegation follows former U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to relist Nigeria among the “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) — a designation for nations accused of tolerating or engaging in systematic religious persecution, particularly against Christians.
In a statement released on Friday by MURIC’s Founder and Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group claimed that some Christian leaders had influenced the U.S. decision by submitting “false and exaggerated” reports of Christian persecution in Nigeria.
“Despite the Nigerian government’s vehement denial of Christian genocide, U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday redesignated Nigeria as a country of particular concern,” Akintola said. “This redesignation is blurred, misplaced, and distorted — a complete misrepresentation of the true picture on ground in Nigeria.”
MURIC Blames Christian Leaders for ‘Misleading’ the U.S.
The Islamic rights group alleged that certain Christian clerics had written petitions to the U.S. Congress, accusing Nigerian authorities of turning a blind eye to attacks on Christians. MURIC claimed that instead of countering those allegations, CAN “amplified the misleading narrative.”
“Instead of dissipating energy on debating the rationality or otherwise of the redesignation, we turn our attention to the fifth columnists in our midst,” Akintola stated. “Certain Christian leaders wrote frivolous petitions claiming that Christians were the only ones being killed by terrorists in Nigeria. Instead of debunking this falsehood, CAN simply echoed it.”
MURIC expressed dismay that a respected national body like CAN would, in its view, align with narratives that damage Nigeria’s global image.
“We are nonplussed by the actions of these Christian leaders, especially CAN, which should know better,” the statement read.
‘Tinubu Has Been Fair to Christians’
The group further accused CAN of ingratitude, arguing that President Tinubu has demonstrated goodwill toward Christians through major appointments and privileges since taking office.
“CAN’s action is a stab in the back,” MURIC asserted. “President Tinubu has consistently preferred Christians in appointments and privileges above his Muslim brethren. The president himself confirmed that 62% of all appointments went to Christians.”
The group also referenced First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, describing her as “even more generous to Christians than Father Christmas,” while accusing CAN of repaying such gestures with betrayal.
“In spite of all that was done for Nigerian Christians by this administration, they still deemed it fit to take Nigeria to the enabler of Gaza genocide,” the group said, referring to the United States.
‘Mother of All Betrayals’
MURIC described the alleged petitions to the U.S. government as “the Mother of all Betrayals,” calling them a deliberate attempt to undermine the Tinubu administration.
“President Tinubu does not deserve this,” Akintola declared. “We denounce those behind this report in the strongest terms.”
The group insisted that while the U.S. may be acting out of its own foreign policy interests, internal saboteurs within Nigeria — particularly religious leaders — were partly responsible for the renewed international scrutiny.
MURIC’s statement has drawn fresh attention to the intersection of religion and politics in Nigeria, with analysts warning that such accusations could further strain relations between Christian and Muslim communities amid ongoing security and governance challenges.
