Kaduna Cleric Describes Trump’s CPC Label as a Call to Conscience

The Chairman of the Southern Kaduna Christian Leaders Association (SKCLA), Apostle Dr. Emmanuel Kure, has welcomed the recent designation of Nigeria as a “Country of Concern” by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, describing it as “a long-overdue call to conscience.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Apostle Kure said the move had drawn global attention to what he termed “the persistent suffering and neglect of Christians in Northern Nigeria.”

He lamented that successive administrations in Nigeria had ignored years of marginalisation and persecution, stating, “At last, someone has taken notice of the plight of Christians in Northern Nigeria — a reality our own government has refused to acknowledge, let alone address.”

Kure accused both Muslim and Christian political elites in the North of showing indifference to justice and peaceful coexistence, saying their silence had allowed discriminatory practices against minority Christian communities to persist.

He alleged that in several northern institutions, such as Bayero University and Sokoto University, Christians are denied the right to build churches, while mosques are freely permitted — a situation he said fosters inequality and intolerance.

“The protection of extremist groups, forced marriages that destroy Christian families, and denial of equal opportunities are all part of a calculated pattern of persecution,” he added.

The SKCLA chairman, who once served as National Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, urged the Federal Government to set up an independent and credible panel of inquiry made up of courageous Nigerians to investigate alleged targeted killings and discrimination in Benue, Plateau, and Southern Kaduna.

According to him, the recurring attacks in Benue and Plateau, often without evidence of theft or banditry, suggest a deliberate “scorched-earth campaign” against Christian populations.

He criticised what he called the government’s “half-hearted” response to insecurity across the North, citing the continued killing of pastors and the neglect of unsafe roads in Southern Kaduna as proof of official indifference.

While commending the Kaduna State Government for initial steps toward peace and reform, Kure urged the administration to show deeper commitment to fairness and equality.

“The church must rise to speak truth to power, calling on government to ensure freedom and justice for all faiths,” he said. “Leaders must also be willing to listen to sincere counsel, particularly from Christians within the system.”

Describing Trump’s remarks as “a divine correction,” Kure said the statement should provoke self-reflection among African leaders, adding that Britain also shares historical responsibility for Nigeria’s enduring religious and ethnic divisions.

“Whether one sees it as interference or not, there must be something strong enough to challenge the irresponsibility of African leaders who mortgage their people’s future. Time is running out — the moment of reckoning is here,” he declared.