Abuja — The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has convened a strategic meeting in Plateau State, where its leadership reiterated its long-standing assertion that Christians in Nigeria are facing a systematic campaign of violence amounting to genocide.
In statements issued following the gathering, CAN underlined what it described as persistent and targeted attacks on Christian communities — especially in the North and Middle Belt — citing mass killings, village destruction, and forced displacement. Archbishop Daniel Okoh, CAN’s national president, emphasized that the organization’s stance has not changed, rejecting characterizations that downplay or mislabel the violence.
The meeting comes amid mounting international and domestic pressure over the violence. CAN called on the federal government and security agencies to acknowledge the pattern of attacks and take decisive action, warning that failure to do so undermines the rule of law and threatens national cohesion.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has strongly contested CAN’s genocide narrative, labeling it a “fabrication” promoted by foreign interests.
In response to the violence, CAN has also engaged in relief efforts: earlier this year, the organization distributed humanitarian aid to survivors of attacks in Plateau State.
As calls for justice intensify, religious and political leaders face growing pressure to bridge communal divides and address the root causes of Nigeria’s insecurity.