Enenche Demands Census to Settle Christian-Muslim Population Row

Reacting to recent comments made by Islamic cleric Sani Yahaya Jingir on the intersection of religion and politics ahead of the 2027 general elections, Paul Enenche, the senior pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, has called for a national census to determine the actual number of Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, insisting that claims about the country’s religious composition cannot go unchallenged without verified data.

Jingir had urged Muslims across the country to use their voting strength to support Muslim candidates and to back the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2027. As part of his argument, the cleric had also claimed that Muslims outnumber Christians in Nigeria, a claim that has since drawn strong reactions.

Responding directly

to that claim, Enenche argued that Christianity is not subordinate to any other religion in the country and dismissed the suggestion that Christians make up a smaller or lesser population.

“I heard an insane man said that Christianity is subordinate to any other religion in this country. Christianity is not secondary, and no group of religious fanatics will ever make it secondary,” Enenche said.

The cleric went further to state that Christians are present in large numbers in every part of Nigeria, and he challenged those making claims about the country’s religious composition to back their statements with verified census data rather than assumptions.

“If you have sense, take a look around, there is no part of Nigeria where Christians don’t exist en mass. If you think you’re superior, why didn’t you people allow census all this while? And if you want to settle the scores, do a census, let everybody tell you what they believe in, then you will be shocked,” he said.

Beyond the population debate, Enenche also turned his attention to the conduct of security agencies, criticising them for allowing what he described as inflammatory and reckless statements capable of inciting violence to go unchecked. He argued that persons who make such statements publicly should be restrained by relevant authorities before their comments escalate into unrest.

“It’s time to call them to order. And I blame security forces for allowing people who make reckless and useless statements to still be moving on the road. Knowing such statements can incite instant violence, that is a man that should be quarantined,” he said.