The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has accused the Presidency of distorting its position on the ongoing wave of killings targeting Christian communities across the country, insisting that the persistent violence in the northern and Middle Belt regions amounts to a “Christian genocide.”
The controversy erupted after a statement reportedly issued by Barrister Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Policy Communication, claimed that CAN had dismissed reports of a “so-called Christian genocide” during a meeting in Abuja.
However, CAN, in a strongly worded rebuttal signed by its President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said the Presidency’s statement was false and “grossly unfair,” adding that it completely misrepresented the outcome of the engagement between Bwala and CAN officials.
According to the association, Bwala had visited the CAN Secretariat at the National Christian Centre in Abuja on Monday to discuss remarks made by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who described the killings of Christians in Nigeria as a genocide.
“CAN made it clear that its position on this issue has long been established and remains unchanged,” Archbishop Okoh stated. “Across many parts of northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, Christian communities have suffered repeated, organised and brutal attacks that have left thousands dead, villages destroyed, and families displaced. These are not isolated crimes but a continuing pattern of violence that has persisted for years without justice or closure.”
The statement faulted the Presidency’s release titled “Presidency Debunks Western Christian Genocide Narrative in Dialogue with CAN Leadership,” accusing government officials of twisting the facts to downplay the severity of the crisis.
“That portrayal is completely false and grossly unfair,” Okoh said. “The meeting was recorded by CAN’s media team, and at no point did I or anyone present use the phrase ‘so-called Christian genocide.’ Referring to the tragedy in such terms trivialises the pain of countless Christians who have lost loved ones, homes and places of worship in targeted attacks.”
During the meeting, CAN’s Director of Planning, Research and Strategy, Bishop Mike Akpami, presented verified data from www.orfa.africa, detailing consistent and targeted assaults on Christian populations in several parts of Africa, including Nigeria.
Archbishop Okoh urged the Federal Government and security agencies to take decisive action to stop the killings and ensure justice for victims, stressing that media professionals and public officials must “speak with truth, empathy, and responsibility” when addressing such sensitive issues.
“Careless words can deepen wounds and undermine peace,” Okoh added, reaffirming that CAN’s pursuit of peace does not equate to silence in the face of injustice.
Other CAN leaders present at the meeting included Vice President Rev. Stephen Panya Baba, General Secretary Apostle Samson Fatokun, Director of Education, Women and Youth Rev. Emmanuel Nicodemus Ozumba, and Director of Legal and Public Affairs Dame Comfort Otera Chigbue (Esq).
Efforts to reach Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga and Minister of Information Mohammed Idris for comment were unsuccessful as both officials did not respond to calls or messages.
Meanwhile, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has appealed to the international community not to re-designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) over alleged religious persecution, warning that such action could undermine ongoing efforts toward interfaith dialogue and national reconciliation.
