CAN Dismisses Claims of Christian Genocide in Nigeria

CAN Dismisses Claims of Christian Genocide in Nigeria
…Calls Narratives Exaggerated
Ayuba said some groups exploit Nigeria’s security challenges to attract foreign sympathy

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has refuted recent claims of a “Christian genocide” in the country, describing them as exaggerated and largely driven by foreign interests.

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Eko Hot Blog reports that the controversy followed remarks by US comedian Bill Maher, who alleged that Christians were being systematically killed in Nigeria.

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Maher claimed that Islamist extremists had burnt down churches and were attempting to wipe out the nation’s Christian population.

Similarly, US Senator Ted Cruz accused Nigerian authorities of “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.”

He also alleged that Christians were being persecuted under sharia and blasphemy laws, introducing the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act in the US Senate to sanction officials allegedly complicit in such acts.

In addition, Riley Moore, a US Congressman from West Virginia, urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to designate Nigeria a Country of Particular Concern and suspend arms sales until Abuja demonstrates stronger protection for religious minorities.

Reacting to the claims in an interview with The Guardian Nigeria on Tuesday, CAN’s Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, acknowledged that killings are taking place but rejected the idea that Christians alone are being targeted.

CAN Dismisses Claims of Christian Genocide in Nigeria

“There are verifiable facts showing widespread killings across Nigeria, but the pattern has never been strictly religious,” Ayuba explained.

“In some Christian-dominated states like Benue, it may appear that Christians are the victims. But the same insurgents have attacked Muslims during early morning prayers, killed worshippers in mosques, and kidnapped innocent people.”

Ayuba said some groups exploit Nigeria’s security challenges to attract foreign sympathy or advance hidden interests.

“Our situation is often taken advantage of by groups who benefit from foreign attention. While foreign nations may have a right to express concern, we also have a duty to report things as they truly are,” he said.

He emphasized that the violence in Nigeria is indiscriminate, noting that “when gunmen open fire in a marketplace, bullets don’t choose between a Christian, a Muslim, or even a baby.”

Ayuba urged Nigerians to unite in confronting insecurity rather than seeking sympathy abroad.

“We must adopt an all-of-society approach to end insurgency. Why run to America when we have a Senate here where petitions can be filed?” he asked.

“When they eventually label Nigeria as a country of particular concern, everyone suffers. Those seeking sympathy abroad know what they stand to gain,” he added.