The President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Francis Wale Oke, has called on President Bola Tinubu to collaborate with U.S President Donald Trump in tackling what he described as the ongoing “Christian genocide” in Nigeria.
Speaking in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Friday, Oke said the evidence of widespread violence against Christians across Nigeria could no longer be denied.
He cited attacks and abductions in Benue, Taraba, Plateau, Niger, Southern Kaduna, and Ondo States, including the killings of Deborah Samuel and the abduction of Leah Sharibu and the Chibok schoolgirls, as proof of systematic persecution.
“There is a Christian genocide in Nigeria. There’s no other name for it,” he said.
“No Christian group is attacking Muslims. The patience of the church is being stretched.”
Oke praised Trump for previously designating Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious violence, noting that the former U.S. president had pledged to confront the situation.
He urged Tinubu not to dismiss Trump’s concerns but to seek his partnership instead.
“President Tinubu should not oppose Trump but rather cooperate with him to eliminate radical groups like Boko Haram and ISWAP,” Oke added.
“Working together will help Nigerians live in peace.”
The PFN leader stressed that the violence was being perpetrated by extremist elements who claim to act in the name of Islam but do not represent the wider Muslim community.
He emphasized that the federal government has a constitutional duty to protect all citizens, regardless of faith.
“Government must act decisively and not politicize the crisis,” he said.
“This administration inherited the problem, but it must now face it squarely.”
Meanwhile, President Tinubu has reportedly begun consultations with religious leaders as part of efforts to address Trump’s recent warnings of possible U.S action against terrorists operating in Nigeria.
