Propaganda and images without context fuel hatred and media racism across the African continent.
In recent months, some Italian television networks have broadcast images of burned or attacked churches, often without explaining what is actually happening on the ground. This partial narrative risks fueling distrust and hostility toward peaceful Muslim communities living in Italy and across Europe, thereby contributing to an atmosphere of growing Islamophobia.
The European Muslims League reminds that in areas marked by political instability and violence—such as certain regions of Nigeria—the entire population suffers. The victims are both Christian and Muslim. Media emphasis on attacks against places of worship, while ignoring the broader human suffering, gives the false impression of a religious conflict. In reality, these episodes stem from far more complex dynamics involving armed criminality, struggles over resources, local vendettas, and weak state institutions. Framing them as battles between faiths is not only false but dangerous, as it sows hatred where dialogue is needed.
On 20 August 2025, in Katsina State, armed men attacked a mosque during dawn prayers, killing at least fifty people. This was part of a feud between armed groups and rural communities. Just a few months earlier, on 25–26 May 2025, in Benue State, coordinated attacks targeted villages inhabited by Christian communities, leaving forty-two dead, including a priest who was seriously injured. This episode too was linked to conflicts over access to grazing land and natural resources.
According to independent sources, between January and July 2025, hundreds of churches and dozens of mosques were damaged or destroyed, and thousands of people of both faiths lost their lives. Analyses by international organizations confirm that there is no unilateral religious war in Nigeria. What exists is a broader pattern of violence that affects Christians and Muslims alike.
Images broadcast without proper context distort public opinion and create a false and hostile perception of our society. Presenting these acts as a “war between Muslims and Christians” does not reflect reality and risks leading many Europeans to wrongly view Muslims as responsible for incidents that in fact involve multiple actors and local disputes.
The European Muslims League strongly condemns all forms of violence against people, places of worship, and private property. Faith must not and cannot be used as an instrument of war.
“The flames must be used to warm us from the cold of indifference, to light a candle of hope when the darkness of hatred penetrates our minds, and to warm our souls. Only truth brings justice.”
The EML calls on the media, particularly Italian outlets, to adhere to the principles of careful and accurate reporting, avoiding the trap of misinformation.
“The pen consumes ink, but bad words consume blood and generate destruction.”
