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Nigeria, the Vatican and Persecution Claims: When Diplomacy Meets Doctrine — and Disappointment

Published

11 months ago

November 20, 2025

By: Fabian Apechihin

A fresh diplomatic tension is emerging between Abuja and Rome following Pope Leo XIV’s recent decision to list Nigeria among countries where Christians are being persecuted. The statement, coming at a sensitive moment in Nigeria–Vatican relations, raises new questions about diplomacy, neutrality, and the Vatican’s role in interpreting Nigeria’s complex security landscape.

A Growing Relationship — With a Critical Gap

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is home to millions of Catholics and maintains long-standing ties with the Holy See. In May 2025, President Bola Tinubu visited the Vatican at the Pope’s invitation, a gesture widely seen as strengthening bilateral engagement. Around the same period, Pope Leo appointed Nigerian priest Fr. Edward Daniang Daleng as Vice-Regent of the Papal Household — another sign of deepening connections.

Yet, despite these developments, a crucial diplomatic vacuum remains: Nigeria still has no accredited ambassador to the Vatican. In such a vacuum, the Holy See is left to depend heavily on media narratives, lobbying networks and incomplete briefings rather than structured communication from an official envoy. Without a resident ambassador providing comprehensive, real-time intelligence, misunderstanding becomes far more likely — and far more damaging.

The same issue extends to other major capitals, including Washington, London and Ottawa, where Nigeria’s security and human-rights narratives are shaped daily. Leaving these diplomatic seats vacant hands others the power to define Nigeria’s story.

A Shift in the Vatican’s Tone

Pope Leo XIV’s recent remarks echo narratives promoted by some U.S. political circles, including previous efforts in Washington to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern.” Yet, many independent analysts maintain that Nigeria’s violence does not meet the United Nations’ legal threshold for genocide: a deliberate, systematic attempt to exterminate a protected group.

It is notable that the Vatican itself had previously taken a more cautious approach, avoiding framing Nigeria’s conflict as religion-driven genocide. A sudden shift toward a more categorical statement prompts key questions:

Has the Vatican been receiving selective, one-sided briefings?
Is the absence of a Nigerian ambassador contributing to this skewed perception?

Both possibilities are increasingly difficult to dismiss.

Nigeria’s Violence: Complex, Brutal — But Not Monolithic

No serious observer disputes the severity of Nigeria’s security crisis. From Boko Haram and ISWAP to bandits, IPOB/ESN-linked militants, and criminal gangs, multiple armed actors operate across diverse regions.

The result is a grim reality:
both Christians and Muslims have been killed in large numbers, often within mixed or intermarried communities where faith identities overlap daily life. Nigeria ranks poorly on the Global Peace Index due to internal conflict — not because it is uniquely a “genocide state.”

If a state-backed genocide were underway, global sanctions, diplomatic reactions and legal proceedings would be unmistakably stronger.

The Vatican must not conflate the tragic number of Christian victims with a legally unsustainable claim of “Christian genocide,” especially when empirical evidence shows:

attacks frequently occur in mixed-faith communities;
many perpetrators and victims are of the same religion;
Muslims are also mass casualties in the North;
some violence in the South-East is Christian-on-Christian.

Geopolitics Behind the Narrative

Nigeria’s more assertive global posture — exploring dedollarisation for crude sales, enforcing naira-based transactions in certain sectors, and expanding partnerships with China, Russia and Brazil — has not gone unnoticed internationally. In such contexts, pressure on Nigeria often appears wrapped in the language of moral or religious concern.

It is reasonable to ask whether elements of the “Christian persecution” narrative also serve political or strategic ends.

The Vatican’s Moral Duty: Accuracy Before Alarm

Historically, popes such as Benedict XVI and Francis preferred fact-finding, consultation and balanced language before commenting on conflict zones. Vatican diplomacy is meant to be:

neutral,
evidence-driven,
pastoral,
and sensitive to complex realities.

By comparison, Pope Leo XIV’s recent statement appears premature and unbalanced, rooted more in the suffering of Christian communities (which is real) than in a comprehensive understanding of Nigeria’s multi-layered insecurity.

Given Nigeria’s unique social fabric — widespread interfaith marriages, shared festivals, and families that host both faiths under one roof — an unnuanced Vatican statement risks:

deepening religious suspicion at home,
distorting Nigeria’s complex security reality abroad,
and emboldening foreign actors eager to weaponise the “genocide” label.

A Way Forward: Facts, Diplomacy and Dialogue

Nigeria must urgently fill key diplomatic postings — especially in the Vatican and major G7 capitals — to ensure its security realities are not defined by external narratives.

The Vatican, for its part, should initiate or support an independent fact-finding mission involving government representatives, Catholic bishops, other Christian leaders, Muslim scholars and neutral conflict experts. Only such a multi-perspective inquiry can justify strong claims of persecution or genocide.

Civil bodies — including the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria and reputable civic organisations — should respectfully request that Pope Leo XIV review or clarify his statement in light of:

the absence of genocide-level evidence,
the shared suffering of Christian and Muslim communities,
the role of criminality and insurgency over religious intent,
and Nigeria’s deeply interwoven, pluralistic social structure.

Conclusion

Pope Leo XIV’s classification of Nigeria as a country of Christian persecution marks a serious escalation. But Nigeria’s security crisis — defined by insurgency, banditry, separatist violence and organised crime — cannot be reduced to a one-dimensional genocide narrative.

To impose that label is to oversimplify a tragedy, risk diplomatic fallout and compromise the Vatican’s moral neutrality.

For healing to occur — spiritually, diplomatically and socially — the Vatican must stand with both victims and verified facts. And Nigeria must respond with transparency, proactive diplomacy and a restored global presence.

Only then can trust be rebuilt, and real solutions pursued, without turning genuine human suffering into political leverage.

If you want, I can turn this into a tighter op-ed, a news-style analysis, or a shorter briefing.

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Bank Cannot Freeze Customer’s Account Without Valid Court Order — Zarewa

Published

5 hours ago

October 7, 2026

Our Reporter

A legal practitioner, Mr M. D. Zarewa, has said that a bank cannot freeze or restrict a customer’s account without a valid court order.
Zarewa said it was prevalent in the society for law enforcement agencies to give directives to banks to freeze customers’ accounts whenever there was a pending case before them, adding that banks often complied with such directives.
He, however, said such practice was alien to Nigeria’s jurisprudence, stressing that banks were enjoined not to interfere with or restrict the activities of any customer’s account without a valid court order.
According to him, it is trite law and settled beyond argument that a bank cannot freeze a customer’s account without a valid court order.
He said the position was entrenched in the case of GTB Plc v. Olachi & Anor (2025) LPELR-81833(CA), where the Court of Appeal held that “whether frozen or restricted, neither can be done without the valid order of a Court of Law.”
Zarewa further cited GTBank v. Adedamola (2019) 5 NWLR (Pt. 1664) 30 at 43, Paras. E-F, where the court held:
“Before freezing customer’s account or placing any form of restraint on any account, the bank must be satisfied that there is an Order of Court.
“By the provisions of Section 34 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act 2004, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has no power to give direct instructions to banks to freeze the account of a customer without an Order of Court. So doing, constitutes a flagrant disregard and violation of the rights of a customer.”
The lawyer said any customer whose account had been frozen or restricted without a valid court order could institute a suit against the bank for grossly violating his or her rights.
He said such a customer could particularly seek redress for the violation of the right to own movable and immovable property and seek compensation from the court.
Furthermore, Zarewa said the law was trite that where there was a wrong, there was a remedy, as captured in the Latin maxim, Ubi jus ibi remedium.

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Gov AbdulRazaq Inaugurates 464-Unit Housing Estate In Kwara

Published

5 hours ago

October 7, 2026

Our Reporter

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

‌‌‌‍‍‍⁠⁠‍⁠⁠Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has inaugurated the ‘AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Morire Housing Estate’ in Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of the State.

Speaking at the groundbreaking of the housing estates, which included 210 units of two-bedroom terrace apartments, 200 units of three-bedroom units and 54 units of four-bedroom terrace duplexes, the
Governor, noted that housing should not be seen or regarded as a luxury, but rather as a fundamental human requirement and cornerstone of dignity, security, and family stability, lamenting the daunting challenge of addressing housing deficits across the country.

He said: “Dear Kwarans, housing is not a luxury. Basic housing is a
fundamental human need and a cornerstone of dignity, security,
and family stability. Yet, across Nigeria and indeed in Kwara State,
the challenge of addressing housing deficit is daunting.

“This administration believes that inadequacy of proper shelter
for Nigerians is not merely a problem of not building enough
houses. Indeed, several studies have attributed the housing deficit in Nigeria to a complex mix of causes, key among them being high costs and rising costs of building materials, weak finance, difficult land systems, infrastructure gaps, institutional limitations, among others.

“On behalf of the people of Kwara, I thank the management of ISHI
Homes Limited for this partnership and for choosing Kwara State
as the location for this important development.”

Represented by the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Dr Segun Ogunsola, the Governor applauded the developer for recognising his administration’s contributions to mass housing development in the State.

“The administration has consistently placed housing development high on its agenda. The government recognises access to decent and affordable housing as essential to the wellbeing of the people.

“The State Government has also been in active collaboration with
institutional partners including the Federal Ministry of Housing
with a view to increasing housing stock in the State.

“Recently, we acquired a housing estate with over 130 flats at
Ogbondoroko in Asa LGA of the State. Government has approved
that the estate be onboarded onto the administration’s social
support scheme,” he disclosed.

AbdulRazaq said the commitment was reflected in the development of the Kwara Smart City and other mass housing initiatives across the State.

The Governor disclosed that his reforms in land administration have reduced the processing time for Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) from 180 days to 35 days.

AbdulRazaq said the improved turnaround time demonstrated the administration’s commitment to making land administration more transparent, efficient and investor-friendly.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ISHI Homes, Dr Olayinka Ilufoye, said the project was intended to democratise home ownership and make decent and affordable housing accessible to the people of Kwara South senatorial district.

Ilufoye said the estate was meant for civil servants, traders and other Nigerians who can access it through the National Housing Fund (NHF).

“The name AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Morire, which translates to ‘I have seen goodness’, is a deliberate expression of our faith, hope and expectation.

“We believe this estate will become a testimony of prosperity, progress and abundance in Kwara South,” he said.

Ilufoye pledged that the company would remain committed to transparency, accountability, quality construction and timely delivery.

The Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KWGIS), Alhaji Sulyman Abdulkareem said the state government has consistently placed housing development high on its development agenda.

He commended the state government for ensuring access to land, facilitating the prompt issuance of titles and certificate of occupancy.

Abdulkareem pointed out that by providing timely approval for mortgage transactions, the Governor is creating the conditions necessary for housing development to thrive in Kwara State.

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Scholars Hail Late Sheik Kamalu-deen’s Legacies iN Education, Leadership

Published

7 hours ago

October 7, 2026

Our Reporter

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Nigeria, and the world at large, are in dire need of exemplary leaders like the late Founder of the Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria, Sheik Muhammad Kamalu-deen al- Adabbiy.

This was the submission of various scholars at a media briefing in ilorin, the Kwara State capital, to usher in the Society’s week-long activities to commemorate the 100 years of the establishment of the Az-Zumratul Adabiyatul Kamaliyyah School of Arabic and Islamic Studies, in Okekere, Ilorin.

The school was fouded by the late Sheik Kamalu-deen in 1942.

Born in 1905, the late Sheik Kamalu-deen was one of Nigeria’s foremost Islamic scholars and educational piooneers who transformed deep Islamic religoius learning into education and also advocated the acquisition of western education .

He also served as a Councillor and Member of the Ilorin Native Authority Transition Committee between 1958 and 1961and was appointed as the first grand mufti of Ilorin by the Emir of Ilorin.

The late Kamalu-deen al- Adabbiy died in 2005 at the aged of 100 years, leaving behind impactful legacies in the propagation of Islamic religion, scholarship, education and leadership.

Addressing journalists at the ancient hall of the Az-Zumratul Adabiyatul Kamaliyyah School of Arabic and Islamic Studies in Okekere, Ilorin, the spokesperson, Prof Kamil Kamaldeen, said the late sheikh was “non discriminatory” in all his policies, a virtue he said was lacking in most leaders today.

“We are here to celebrate the legacies of the late Sheikh Muhammad Kamalu-deen al-Adabbiy not to tell his history, at a time when the world continues to need what he stood for. We are in a world today that we are looking for leaders who will serve without puting themselves first, no matter where we come from,” he said

The Registrar was flanked by the Vice Chancellor of the Muhammad Kamalu-deen University, Prof AbdulRasheed Jimoh, General Overseer of the Az-Zumratul school, Sheik Mustapha Kamalu-deen al- Adabby, Grand Khadi of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Abdulateef Kamaldeen, National Missioner of Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria, Sheik Abdulmumini Ayara, retired Grand Khadi of the Kwara state Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Idris Haroon and a foremost islamic Scholar, Sheik Sharafadeen Ajara .

Others included the President of Az-Zumratul alumni association, Ustaz Abdullahi Oni-Tolotolo, and the Principal of the School.

They noted that the late Sheikh Kamalu-deen had through his preachings, established educational structures and selfless leadership qualities, produced worthy ambassadors in all spheres of disciplines, urging leaders at all levels to invest heavily in education .

“No society loses from investing in education, it can only gain, no society loses when you build skills, you can only gain,” they added.

The Scholars also charged leaders to take a cue from the late Sheikh Kamalu-deen whom they said was always willing to collaborate with scholars and leaders of like minds in a bid to bring advancement and progress to his community, citing his link with Al-Ahhar University, Cairo, as beneficial in advancement of higher Islamic studies in Ilorin.