The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has dismissed claims of a systematic “Christian genocide” in the country, describing the narrative as a simplistic misrepresentation of Nigeria’s complex security challenges, which it maintains are driven by terrorism, criminality, and communal disputes.
The church body urged both local and international communities to reject the narrative of a religious war, emphasizing that terrorist groups indiscriminately target people of all faiths.
Violence is Indiscriminate
According to reports and statements from officials, CAN affirmed that while Christians have suffered horrific and undeniable attacks, these incidents represent only a fraction of the nation’s homicides. The violence is often entangled with long-standing farmer-herder clashes over resources, population pressures, and the brutal opportunism of terrorist organizations like Boko Haram and its offshoots.
The official government position, which aligns with CAN’s call for nuance, is that “no Nigerian is targeted by the state because of their faith” and that terrorist groups “kill opportunistically, striking churches, mosques, markets and villages alike.”
Urgency for Concrete Action
While dismantling the narrative of a religiously-driven genocide, the Christian body reiterated the urgent need for decisive government action against all forms of terrorism and communal violence that afflict both Christian and Muslim communities.
The facts, supported by data, underscore that religiously motivated killings account for a small percentage of Nigeria’s overall violence. Understanding this nuance is crucial for moving away from oversimplified, inflammatory rhetoric and towards effective security solutions.
