The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has again raised concerns regarding what it describes as a systematic genocide against Christian communities in Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt. This declaration was made at the opening ceremony of the Fourth Quarterly National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association in Jos, Plateau State.
Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the President of CAN, stated that the association stands firmly by its position that a Christian genocide is unfolding in Nigeria. He stressed that years of coordinated attacks, unpunished massacres, and the forced displacement of indigenous Christian populations fit the pattern of intentional extermination. Okoh also recalled his recent visit to Bokkos, where thousands of Christians remain displaced after waves of violent attacks. He lamented that entire villages had been leveled without justice in many communities, with perpetrators roaming free and victims left uncompensated and unresettled.
Okoh called on the federal government to take immediate steps to stop the senseless destruction of lives, restore security, and ensure justice for persecuted communities. He emphasized that the prolonged stay of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in camps is a moral indictment on the nation and a ticking humanitarian time bomb. CAN appealed to the federal government and the international community to act decisively and urgently to halt the senseless destruction of lives and displacement of indigenous people, particularly in Christian-dominated communities across Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.
In his remarks, the governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, who was represented by his deputy, Josephine Piyo, described the gathering as significant for a state that has endured some of the worst episodes of ethno-religious violence in recent Nigerian history. He reiterated his administration’s commitment to restoring enduring peace, securing rural communities, and resettling displaced persons.
