Kukah faces criticism over reversal on Nigeria’s religious freedom designation

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has come under criticism following his recent appeal against the designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) over alleged violations of Christian religious freedom.

Civil rights activist, Dr. Thompson Udenwa, in a statement issued in Abuja, faulted what he described as Bishop Kukah’s “sudden change of tone,” recalling that the cleric was once among the most vocal advocates urging the United States Government to categorize Nigeria under the CPC list due to attacks on Christian communities, church burnings, and targeted killings across parts of the North and Middle Belt.

Udenwa questioned why the same Bishop who, in 2021, addressed the U.S. Congress condemning the Buhari administration’s alleged indifference to Christian persecution, would now argue against a move he previously called “moral justice.”

According to him, the shift in position “undermines the credibility of religious advocacy and suggests that personal or political interests may be influencing the Bishop’s stance.”

“While I do not wish to get entangled in the political undercurrents of this matter, I find Bishop Kukah’s recent statement troubling,” Udenwa said.

“He was once a loud voice calling for international recognition of Christian persecution in Nigeria. Now, he appears to have stepped back from that conviction.”

Udenwa’s reaction follows Bishop Kukah’s comments at the launch of the Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) 2025 World Report on Religious Freedom, held on October 21, 2025, at the Augustinianum Hall, Vatican City. At the event, Bishop Kukah acknowledged Nigeria’s persistent security and governance challenges but urged the international community not to impose punitive measures such as sanctions or diplomatic isolation.

“Designating my country, Nigeria, a Country of Concern will only make our work in the area of dialogue among religious leaders in our country and elsewhere with the Nigerian state even harder,” Kukah said.

“It will only increase tensions, sow doubt, open windows of suspicion and fear, and simply allow the criminals and perpetrators of violence to exploit.”

While acknowledging the bishop’s commitment to dialogue, Udenwa argued that his position could embolden the Nigerian government to evade responsibility for the numerous unprosecuted attacks on communities of all faiths.

“By this volte-face, Bishop Kukah has shown that religious leaders must be consistent and selfless in their advocacy,” Udenwa maintained. “Truth must remain truth — regardless of who is in power or what political relationships exist.”

The activist further cited former presidential spokesman Garba Shehu’s recently released book, According to the President – Lessons from a Presidential Spokesman’s Experience (pages 150–155), which allegedly detailed Bishop Kukah’s earlier role in influencing U.S. actions that strained Nigeria’s diplomatic image.

However, Udenwa said Kukah’s current efforts should be seen as an opportunity to repair the damage caused by previous campaigns.

“It is better,” he concluded, “that the same hand which contributed to the wrong narrative abroad should now be the one correcting it.”