The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has forcefully renewed its alarm about what it characterizes as a systematic and ongoing genocide targeting Christian communities throughout Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt regions.
Unequivocal Declaration in Jos
Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the President of CAN, delivered this stark declaration during the opening ceremony of the association's Fourth Quarterly National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Jos, Plateau State. The event, hosted by the Plateau State government, gathered senior church leaders from across Nigeria.
Addressing the council, Archbishop Okoh stated that the Christian body "stands unwaveringly" by its long-held position that a Christian genocide is actively unfolding across the nation. He emphasized that years of coordinated attacks, unpunished massacres, and the forced displacement of indigenous Christian populations clearly fit the pattern of intentional extermination.
Evidence of Systematic Destruction
Archbishop Okoh pointed to overwhelming evidence of targeted killings, mass displacements, and the wholesale destruction of Christian settlements that can no longer be ignored by authorities. "It would be a grave injustice to deny the painful reality of what has transpired," he stated.
The CAN leader detailed the devastating impact: "Lives have been brutally cut short, communities uprooted from their ancestral lands, families torn apart, churches razed, and hopes shattered." He recalled his recent visit to Bokkos, where thousands of Christians remain displaced following waves of violent attacks, noting that the physical and emotional scars he witnessed underscore the scale of the tragedy.
Okoh lamented that in numerous communities, entire villages have been completely leveled without any justice for the victims. He noted that perpetrators continue to operate freely, while survivors have received neither compensation nor proper resettlement.
International Attention and National Failure
The CAN President revealed that international institutions have begun taking notice of Nigeria's prolonged religious violence, describing this development as painful but necessary. "If international attention is what is required to spur decisive governmental action, then the Christian community in Nigeria welcomes it," he asserted.
He urgently called on the federal government to take immediate steps to stop what he termed the "senseless destruction of lives," restore security, and ensure justice for persecuted communities. Okoh emphasized that the prolonged stay of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps represents both a moral indictment on the nation and a ticking humanitarian time bomb.
"No individual should ever be persecuted or killed on account of their faith," the CAN leader declared. "This humanitarian crisis must be addressed decisively to prevent further escalation."
Archbishop Okoh concluded with a firm commitment: "CAN will not relent. We will continue to demand justice, call for accountability, defend the vulnerable and advocate for peace and unity."
