By Muhammad Mamman
The Holy See has broken its silence on the escalating violence in Nigeria, challenging the narrative that Christians are facing a genocide.
Speaking in Rome, Pietro Parolin—the Vatican’s Secretary of State—emphasised that the attacks sweeping parts of Nigeria are driven by complex social and economic issues, not a solely religious war. “We should also recognise that many Muslims in Nigeria are themselves victims of this same intolerance,” he remarked.
Parolin cited conflicts such as land disputes between herders and farmers in the North-Central region, rather than faith‐based persecution, as the origin of the violence.
His comments come amid mounting accusations from Christian leaders in Nigeria that their communities are entrenched in what they call a “silent genocide”. For example, Wilfred Anagbe, Bishop of Makurdi, asserted that entire parishes are being destroyed and that the violence is aimed at erasing the Christian presence.
Nigeria’s government, likewise, has disputed the term “genocide”, arguing that the insurgency and banditry ravaging several states affect all Nigerians regardless of faith.
The Vatican’s new stand injects nuance into the fraught debate, but also raises fresh questions for the Church’s role in international advocacy: Should it focus solely on religious victimisation, or broaden the lens to include socioeconomic drivers of conflict?
As Nigeria struggles with the twin threats of extremist violence and community warfare, both Christians and Muslims continue to bear the brunt. The Vatican’s plea is clear: this is a national tragedy, not merely a confession of faith under fire
