Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has stated that the violence in Nigeria is not linked to the persecution of Muslims or Christians.
He explained that the dire situation is due to bad governance and insecurity, not religion.
Sowore stated this while reacting to renewed calls by some U.S. lawmakers, urging Washington to label Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged Christian persecution.
He accused both the United States and the Nigerian government of hypocrisy in their response to the ongoing killings across the country.
According to him, such claims are misleading and fail to reflect the real situation in Nigeria.
Speaking via a statement, he said, “There’s genocide against the poor, against Muslims, against Christians, against children. Trying to separate it by religion is dishonest.
He argued that Nigeria does not identify victims by religion, saying, “The country doesn’t check who carries a Bible or a Koran before counting the dead.”
Sowore also criticised the U.S. for ignoring similar crises elsewhere.
“Why is the U.S silent about Gaza, where Muslims are being killed by Israel? That’s international hypocrisy,” he said.
He insisted that insecurity in Nigeria cuts across all regions and religions, stressing that the real cause is failed leadership.
“In a country where thousands are killed daily, no one calls the government genocidal. The problem isn’t religion, it’s irresponsible leadership and widespread insecurity,” he added.
Sowore pointed out that most attacks happen in the northern part of the country, affecting both Muslims and Christians.
“In the North, gunmen even attack mosques. Just recently, 35 worshippers were killed, and the attackers were likely Muslims too,” he said.
He warned that blaming religion only helps Nigerian leaders escape responsibility.
“When the U.S. says it wants to protect Christians, that’s not a solution. If all Christians were taken away, people would still be killed,” he argued.
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