The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has issued an urgent call to the federal government, demanding transparent and equitable action to halt the violent attacks targeting Christian communities and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The demand was contained in a statement signed by the National President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, on Wednesday, in response to the escalating insecurity and national conversations on faith-based violence.
Okoh stated that the association has followed the recent discourse with “deep concern,” emphasising the need to “speak clearly, truthfully, and with compassion” at such a critical time.
“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,” Okoh stated.
He described the realities as painful reminders of the urgent need for government and security agencies to act decisively to protect every citizen.
The CAN president detailed the association’s sustained, multi-year efforts to draw international attention to the persecution, including establishing mechanisms to document religiously-motivated killings, engaging with global partners, and writing to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
However, he expressed profound frustration that these efforts have yielded little concrete result from authorities.
“Our concern remains that these cries for justice and protection are too often met with delay or denial.
“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,” he said.
Okoh, who stressed the human tragedy behind the violence, said that the pain of Christian families torn apart by violence must never be treated as mere statistics.
While acknowledging the government’s existing efforts in tackling the nation’s security challenges, CAN urged that they be redoubled towards equitable protection for all, calling for perpetrators to be brought swiftly and transparently to justice.
“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. Only then can our nation rise from its wounds and embrace a future of genuine peace,” he stated.
