By Mustapha Gembu
Governor Charles Soludo, some time ago, banned the use of mini-skirts in secondary schools across Anambra State as part of efforts to enforce discipline and moral standards among students. He also moved against nightclubs, brothels, and other activities he considered harmful to society.
Recently, fake pastors and self-proclaimed miracle workers across the state have been arrested and arraigned in court for deceiving people through fraudulent claims of healing powers, miracle performances, and spiritual solutions. Many of these individuals are accused of exploiting poor and desperate citizens, collecting huge sums of money through tithes, offerings, seed sowing, special prayers, and other forms of financial contributions.
These actions are being carried out in a state where Christians constitute the overwhelming majority of the population, under the authority of a Christian governor. Yet, nobody is accusing Governor Soludo of persecuting Christians or waging war against Christianity. No one is claiming that he is attacking the Church or violating the religious rights of Christians.
Even the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), which is often quick to issue press statements on matters affecting Christians, has remained largely silent on these arrests and prosecutions. There have been no widespread accusations that the governor is targeting Christianity, despite the fact that those being arrested are operating under the banner of Christian ministry.
The question is: why?
The answer appears obvious. Governor Soludo is a Christian governing a predominantly Christian state. Therefore, his actions are being viewed as law enforcement measures aimed at curbing fraud, protecting citizens, and maintaining public order. They are not being interpreted through an ethno-religious lens.
If the same actions had been taken by a Fulani governor or a Muslim governor in another part of Nigeria, many of the usual ethno-religious propagandists would likely have described them as evidence of Christian persecution. Headlines would have been written, social media campaigns launched, and press releases issued accusing the government of pursuing an Islamization agenda or conducting a religious war against Christians.
The same individuals and groups who frequently spread hatred, propaganda, half-truths, and distorted narratives are noticeably silent because the governor involved is a Christian. The usual allegations of jihad, religious persecution, and Islamization are nowhere to be found.
Let us not forget that some people from Anambra are among the most vocal promoters of the so-called Christian genocide narrative in Nigeria, yet they deliberately ignore the bloody rampages of IPOB/ESN members—the proscribed terrorist group responsible for the killing, kidnapping, and terrorizing of fellow Igbos. Instead of confronting the criminals within their midst, they prefer to push anti-Fulani and anti-Muslim propaganda, using innocent groups as convenient scapegoats for crimes committed by their own people. This selective outrage and deliberate distortion of facts expose the hypocrisy behind much of the anti-Fulani and anti-Muslim campaign being promoted in certain quarters.
It is also worth noting that despite some people from Anambra being involved in spreading fabricated lies against Fulanis and using them as scapegoats for various crimes, Governor Soludo himself has publicly stated that about 99.9% of the crimes and criminality being perpetrated in Anambra are committed by Igbos against fellow Igbos. This directly challenges the narrative that seeks to blame Fulanis for virtually every security challenge in the state.
Such statements from the governor suggest that many of the allegations being circulated against Fulanis are exaggerated, misleading, or part of a broader campaign to malign and demonize a particular ethnic group. Rather than confronting the real causes of insecurity and criminality within their communities, some individuals find it easier to shift blame to outsiders and exploit ethnic sentiments for political or emotional purposes.
This raises an important question about consistency and fairness. If arresting fake pastors for alleged fraud is not considered persecution when carried out by a Christian governor in a Christian-majority state, then the same standard should be applied elsewhere. Law enforcement actions should be judged based on facts, evidence, and the rule of law—not on the religion or ethnicity of the person carrying them out.
Nigeria will make greater progress when citizens reject double standards, challenge ethno-religious bigotry, and evaluate issues objectively. A fight against fraud is a fight against fraud, regardless of whether the suspect is a pastor, an imam, a traditionalist, or anyone else. Justice should not change its meaning depending on the religion or ethnicity of those involved.
