The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rejected recent claims of a Christian genocide in the country, describing them as exaggerated and misleading narratives promoted by foreign figures.
The controversy began after US comedian Bill Maher and Senator Ted Cruz alleged that Christians in Nigeria were being systematically killed by Islamist extremists, with Cruz introducing a bill in the US Senate seeking sanctions on Nigerian officials accused of enabling such acts.
Similarly, US Congressman Riley Moore urged the US Secretary of State to label Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” and suspend arms sales until more action was taken to protect Christians.
Responding to these claims, Abimbola Ayuba, CAN’s Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, told The Guardian that while killings were indeed happening across Nigeria, the violence was not faith-targeted.
“Empirical facts show that the killings have no specific pattern,” Ayuba said. “In some Christian-majority states like Benue, it may appear Christians are being targeted, but the same insurgents have attacked Muslims in mosques and killed people indiscriminately.”
He cautioned that some groups were exploiting Nigeria’s crisis for foreign sympathy and political gain.
“Foreign actors often twist our situation for their benefit,” Ayuba added. “We must focus on collective solutions instead of seeking sympathy abroad. When they label Nigeria as a country of concern, every citizen suffers the consequences.”
The CAN official urged Nigerians to unite in tackling terrorism rather than framing the crisis along religious lines.
“This insurgency spares no one — Christian, Muslim, or child,” he said. “The solution lies in an all-of-society approach that prioritizes national security and unity.”
