The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has denounced the recent testimony of Bishop Wilfred Chikpa Anagbe before the US House Foreign Affairs Committee, Africa Subcommittee, as “misleading” and “Islamophobic”.
According to MPAC, Bishop Anagbe’s claims that Christians in Benue State are under existential threat from “Islamist extremists” are unsubstantiated and defy logic. “The idea that 2% of the population can pose an existential threat to the remaining 98% is mathematically improbable,” MPAC stated.
Bishop Anagbe also alleged that Nigerian Muslims are implementing a stealth agenda to Islamize Nigeria through violence and terrorism, with the connivance of the Nigerian government. However, MPAC countered that these claims are part of a larger pattern of misinformation and propaganda aimed at demonizing Muslims and justifying sanctions against Nigeria.
MPAC emphasized that the facts contradict Bishop Anagbe’s narrative, citing reports that Muslim Nigerians have been the greatest victims of terrorism in Nigeria. “By all accounts, Muslim Nigerians have been the greatest victims of terrorism in Nigeria, with many killed, displaced, and traumatized by Boko Haram and other extremist groups,” MPAC said.
The group urged Bishop Anagbe to retract his unsubstantiated claims and join efforts to promote national peace and reconciliation. MPAC also called on the Nigerian government to hold faith leaders accountable for utterances and actions that threaten national peace and unity.
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MPAC stated, “It is essential to approach such claims with a critical eye and demand evidence-based narratives that promote understanding and reconciliation. Together, we can work towards a more peaceful and harmonious Nigeria, where all citizens can thrive regardless of their faith or ethnicity.”
