The Christian Association of Nigeria has affirmed the severity of violence against Christian communities, lending credence to US Senator Ted Cruz’s core allegation of a genocide, while the Nigerian government continues to dismiss the claims as “false and baseless.”
ABUJA — The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has substantiated the core allegations of United States Senator Ted Cruz, affirming that Christians are indeed being killed in the country.
This position directly challenges the Nigerian Federal Government’s official stance, which has repeatedly labeled Senator Cruz’s claims as “false and baseless.” Cruz has alleged that over 52,000 Christians have been killed and thousands of churches destroyed, introducing a bill in the U.S. Senate to sanction Nigerian officials he deems complicit.
In a statement, titled “Christian Genocide — CAN Clarifies Position,” and signed by its National President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, condemned the continuous targeting of Christian communities and the slow response of authorities.
Daniel Okoh declared, “CAN affirms, without hesitation, 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.” He described these realities as “painful reminders of the urgent need for government and security agencies to act decisively.”
Archbishop Okoh appeared to undercut the official response to the violence, stating, “Nigeria’s healing will not come from denial or blame, but from courage: the courage to face our collective failures, to grieve together, and to rebuild trust within our communities.” He detailed CAN’s extensive efforts to draw international attention to the persecution, including appeals to the International Criminal Court.
The CAN President further stated, “Over the years, CAN and the wider Christian community have worked tirelessly to draw attention, both nationally and internationally, to the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. 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. These sustained efforts demonstrate CAN’s consistent advocacy for justice, peace, and the protection of Christian communities under threat.”
The Christian body said its “concern remains that these cries for justice and protection are too often met with delay or denial.”
CAN called for an immediate end to what it described as years of impunity enjoyed by perpetrators of religiously motivated violence.
“We therefore renew our call on government and security agencies to take urgent, transparent, and equitable action to end the killings, safeguard vulnerable Christian communities from displacement, and ensure that perpetrators face the full weight of the law,” the statement continued.
“The pain of Christian families torn apart by violence must never be treated as mere statistics.”
While acknowledging some efforts by the government to curb insecurity, the association urged authorities to intensify protection measures across all faiths and regions.
In sharp contrast, the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, dismissed the allegations, calling the statistics “absolutely absurd and unsupported by any credible evidence.” He insisted that Nigeria is a tolerant, multi-faith nation and that violence affects both Christians and Muslims.
The deepening divide places the government at odds with its primary Christian body, amplifying international concern and lending weight to Senator Cruz’s proposed sanctions.
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