The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has issued an appeal to the federal government and security agencies to take “urgent, transparent, and equitable action” to protect Christian communities suffering attacks, loss of life, and destruction of places of worship, especially in the North.
In a statement released on 8 October 2025 and signed by Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN said that many Christian communities “in parts of Nigeria, especially in the North, have suffered severe attacks, loss of life, and the destruction of places of worship.”
The umbrella body warned that the pain of Christian families torn apart by violence “must never be treated as mere statistics.”
The statement comes in reaction to growing public discourse, both on social media (notably on X) and in international media, framing the violence against Christians in Nigeria as a campaign of genocide.
Some voices allege that tens of thousands of Christians have been killed since 2009, and that thousands of churches have been destroyed.
The federal government has firmly rejected the notion that Christians in Nigeria are being subjected to a systematic genocide.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, described such claims as “false, baseless, despicable, and divisive,” arguing that portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group misrepresents the complex reality.
Idris emphasised that “the violent activities of terrorist groups are not confined to any religious or ethnic community. Muslims, Christians, and even those who do not identify with any faith have suffered at their hands.”
He specifically challenged figures cited in public claims — including those by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz — that “over 20,000 churches have been burned” or “52,000 Christians killed”, calling them “absolutely absurd” and without factual support.
However, advocacy groups report rising numbers of Christian casualties and displacement in regions such as Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Nasarawa, and Ebonyi states.
A rights group, the International Christian Concern (ICC), has documented more than 300 Christian deaths in recent months, along with dozens of abductions and thousands displaced.
One of the most tragic incidents cited by CAN and others is the Yelwata massacre in June 2025, where between 100 and 200 Christian villagers were killed, and some 3,000 displaced.
At the same time, the government points out that many of the very large figures used in social media, such as 100,000 victims, or 18,000 churches destroyed, lack independently verifiable sources.
CAN’s statement noted that over the years the organisation has demonstrated consistent advocacy for justice, peace, and the protection of Christian communities under threat.
“The Association has established mechanisms for recording incidents of religiously motivated killings, engaged with international partners, written to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and hosted global Christian organisations such as the World Evangelical Alliance and the Lausanne Movement,” said CAN.
The association urges that government response not only be more decisive but also equitable, suggesting that delays, denials, or selective protection contribute to mistrust and deepen the sense of injustice.
According to Archbishop Okoh, “CAN acknowledges the efforts of government and security agencies in responding to the nation’s security challenges, but urges that these efforts be redoubled towards equitable protection for all.
“It is equally imperative that perpetrators of violence are brought swiftly and transparently to justice. We also appeal to all Christian leaders to continue to speak and act with wisdom, unity, and faith, knowing that peace is too fragile to be taken for granted.”
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