The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rejected the Presidency’s characterization of its stance, reaffirming that the widespread killings of Christians in northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt amount to a “Christian genocide.”
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has accused the Presidency of distorting facts and misrepresenting its position regarding the killings of Christians across the country. The group insists that what is occurring in parts of northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt is a “Christian genocide.”
In a communique responding to a statement by Barrister Daniel Bwala—Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communication—CAN clarified that at no point did Archbishop Daniel Okoh use or endorse the term “so-called Christian genocide.” “That portrayal is completely false and grossly unfair,” the statement said.
CAN maintained that the Presidency’s summary, titled “Presidency Debunks Western Christian Genocide Narrative in Dialogue with CAN Leadership,” misrepresented the meeting’s content. The Christian body reaffirmed that “these are not isolated crimes but a continuing pattern of violence … that has persisted for years without justice or closure.”
Meanwhile, Catholic Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah warned that labeling Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over religious persecution might undermine interfaith dialogue and peace efforts. He also called for legal enforcement of constitutional principles and urged the government to act with fairness and transparency in addressing the killings.