By Israel Bulus, Kaduna
The Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association (SKCLA), Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Kure, has described the recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Concern” by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump as a welcome development and “a long-overdue call to conscience.”
In a statement made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday, Apostle Kure said the move by Trump had drawn global attention to what he described as “the plight of Christians in Northern Nigeria,” lamenting that successive Nigerian governments had failed to address years of systematic marginalisation and persecution.
“At last, someone, somewhere, has taken notice of the plight of Christians in Northern Nigeria, a plight our own government has consistently failed to acknowledge, let alone address,” Kure said.
He accused both Muslim and Christian political elites in the North of paying lip service to issues of justice, unity, and peaceful coexistence, saying their silence had enabled policies and practices that undermine minority Christian communities.
The SKCLA chairman also alleged that in many northern institutions, including Bayero University and Sokoto University, Christians were denied the right to build churches while mosques were permitted in abundance, a situation he said promotes religious intolerance and inequality.
“The sponsorship and protection of jihadists, forced marriages that destroy Christian homes, and denial of equal opportunities are all part of a sustained pattern of persecution,” he added.
Kure, a former National Secretary of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) called on the Federal Government to establish a credible, independent panel of inquiry made up of courageous Nigerians to investigate allegations of targeted killings and discrimination in Benue, Plateau, and Southern Kaduna.
According to him, recent attacks in Benue and Plateau, where there was no evidence of theft or criminality, revealed a deliberate “scorched-earth campaign” against Christian communities.
He further faulted what he called the “half-hearted” government responses to insecurity in Borno and other parts of the North, saying the continued killing of pastors and neglect of dangerous roads in Southern Kaduna were proof of government inaction.
While commending the Kaduna State Government for taking early steps toward reform and peaceful coexistence, Kure urged the administration to deepen its commitment to fairness and justice.
“The church must begin to speak out by calling on the government to provide a level playing field for all religions to practice freely. The government must also listen to honest counsel, especially from Christians within its ranks,” he stated.
Apostle Kure described Trump’s statement as “a divine correction” meant to provoke self-examination among African leaders, noting that Britain also bears historical responsibility for Nigeria’s religious and ethnic divisions.
“Whether one calls it external interference or not, something must challenge the recklessness of African leaders who mortgage the future of their people. Time is running out, the moment of reckoning is now,” Kure warned.
