Christians in Northern Nigeria Suffer Repeated, Coordinated, Clearly Targeted Attacks, CAN Raises Alarm

• The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has raised fresh concerns over what it described as sustained, targeted attacks on Christian communities across Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has raised fresh concerns over what it described as sustained, targeted attacks on Christian communities across Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, saying the violence has resulted in thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and the destruction of entire settlements.

CAN President, Daniel Okoh, made the remarks on Tuesday during the opening of the association’s Fourth Quarterly National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Jos, Plateau State.

His comments came in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s redesignation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) — a move he said followed years of global appeals over the “mass slaughter” of Christians in the country.

Trump warned that the United States could halt aid to Nigeria and even deploy military forces if the persecution persists, describing the situation as an “existential threat” posed by radical Islamist groups.

Speaking at the NEC, Okoh said Christian communities in several regions have endured “repeated, coordinated, and clearly targeted attacks,” including killings, abductions, church burnings, and the razing of entire villages.

“Across many parts of Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, Christian communities have experienced repeated, coordinated, and clearly targeted attacks. These horrors have left thousands of people dead, countless widowed and orphaned, and entire villages levelled without justice or closure,” he said.

He warned that the pattern of violence “points unmistakably to a Christian genocide,” insisting that the atrocities inflicted on Christian populations “cannot be denied, diluted, or forgotten.”

Okoh lamented that despite years of advocacy, many survivors remain trapped in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps with no compensation or resettlement plans, while perpetrators continue to evade arrest and prosecution.

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Reflecting on a recent visit to Bokkos in Plateau State, he described the scenes of displacement and trauma as “heartbreaking,” noting that the resilience of the survivors’ faith amid such devastation was deeply moving.

The CAN president reaffirmed the association’s commitment to championing justice and protection for all Nigerians regardless of their religious background. He stressed that defending persecuted Christians remained central to CAN’s mandate.

“Silence in the face of injustice is unbiblical. Whenever a Christian is afflicted, we are duty-bound to respond. This responsibility we shall never abdicate,” Okoh said.

He welcomed the increasing international attention on Nigeria’s security crisis, expressing hope that global pressure might compel the Nigerian government to take stronger and more effective action.

While acknowledging the efforts of security agencies, he argued that the existing security framework had failed to halt the widespread killings and mass displacements.

Okoh called for urgent intervention from federal and state governments as well as humanitarian assistance from international partners to protect vulnerable communities and curb the worsening crisis.