24/05/2026
CHRISTIANS CAN DO BETTER
On Thursday, 21st May 2026, while returning from Lekki, Lagos to Ìbàdàn, the cab I boarded to the park sparked a discussion about insecurity and banditry in Nigeria. As expected, the conversation quickly shifted toward Islam and Muslims.
The Christian driver boldly claimed that “Muslim bandits are killing Christians, and whenever the government apprehends them, they rehabilitate them, make them swear with the Qur’an, and release them.” He then asked, “Is that good?”
I remained silent at first, even though I was deeply disturbed by the emotional and careless attachment of my beautiful religion to terrorism and bloodshed. I patiently allowed him to finish before asking him calmly:
“Do you know I am a Muslim?”
He responded, “I think so.”
I then asked him: “And you intentionally linked my religion to terrorism while we are all victims of insecurity in this country?”
His next statement was even more shocking. He said, “Is it not a religion of terrorism?”
With patience and composure, I responded that Islam is a religion of peace, justice, discipline, and mercy — completely against terrorism, oppression, and the killing of innocent souls. So, terrorists do not represent Islam in any way.
I began to educate him with facts and examples he admitted he had never heard before.
I explained that insecurity in Nigeria is far more political, and criminal than many people want to admit. Weapons do not fall from the sky. There are sponsors nationally and internationally who are not Muslims, there are traffickers, corrupt networks, and collaborators behind these crimes. Over the years, people from different religious and ethnic backgrounds have been arrested in connection with arms trafficking and violent crimes.
I also explained that shouting “Allãhu Akbar” or using Arabic expressions does not automatically make a person a Muslim. Anybody can imitate religious expressions. In fact, many criminal groups deliberately use Islamic slogans to manipulate public perception and demonize Islam. That is impersonation, not representation.
Islam itself clearly condemns the killing of innocent people. Allãh says in the Glorious Qur’an:
“And whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land — it is as if he had slain mankind entirely.” Sûratul Mã'idah — Qur’an 5:32
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also warned strongly against injustice, oppression, and unlawful killing, regardless of the victim’s religion.
I then mentioned the crime involving Ayo Oritsejafor, a Pastor and the former President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), whose private jet was used for arms' importation during President Jonathan's tenure. Many Christians defended him and denied direct involvement, yet the truth of the crime remains undeniable. This is a strong evidence that these crimes have nothing to do with Islam. Therefore, nobody should criticise innocent Muslims because of the actions of sponsored impersonators.
Sadly, many people have been conditioned by media narratives and emotional propaganda to see Islam through the lens of violence, while ignoring the political complexities behind insecurity in Nigeria.
I spent a good portion of that journey calmly dismantling misinformation with patience, logic, and evidence — not insults. By the end of the discussion, the same Christian man who began by attacking Islam became silent, thoughtful, and far more informed than before.
This is why education matters. Majority of the Christians simply follow media narratives and their pastors out of ignorance, so it becomes our duty to educate them with wisdom, patience, and facts. Constant exposure to truth helps break misconceptions, and with time, many of them may become wiser and more understanding through sincere education and dialogue.
Let them know that not every loud narrative is truth. No criminal represents Islam. Christians need to do better, and stop blaming Muslims for nothing, no amount of propaganda can bring down Islam, because Islam is preserved by Allãh Himself.
May Allãh guide us to truth, protect us from ignorance and prejudice, and grant peace to our land.
This is just an excerpt of our conversation. Whenever they speak about Islam ignorantly, defend Islam as an ambassador of Islam, if you don't defend Islam, the lies and propaganda will continue to spread like wildfire. Be an unrelenting ambassador.
Abdullahi Oladimeji Abdulsalam
(Abu Fãtimah Ọládoyin)
Olóyè Deji4IslamCares 🌹
From the Desk of UDMAR
