The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has rejected recent claims of a “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, describing them as exaggerated narratives promoted by foreign actors
The controversy erupted after US comedian Bill Maher claimed that Christians were being systematically k!lled in Nigeria, alleging that Islamist groups had burned churches and were attempting to wipe out the Christian population.
US Senator Ted Cruz also accused Nigerian authorities of “ignoring and even facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists,” adding that Nigerian Christians were targeted for their faith under sharia and blasphemy laws.
Cruz subsequently introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act in the US Senate to sanction officials deemed responsible. Similarly, US Congressman Riley Moore urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and suspend arms sales until the government demonstrates a commitment to protecting Christians.
In an interview with Guardian Nigeria on Tuesday, CAN’s Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, acknowledged that killings occur in Nigeria but rejected the claim that Christians are uniquely targeted.
“All I will say is that empirical facts exist about the spate of killings in Nigeria. The pattern is not targeted at any particular group,” Ayuba explained. “In Christian-majority states like Benue, it may seem Christians are being killed. But this insurgency has also claimed many Muslims in their mosques during early morning prayers, through attacks, kidnappings, and other acts of violence.”
Ayuba accused some groups of exploiting the situation to gain foreign attention. “Sometimes our situation is taken advantage of by groups who benefit from foreign interests. While foreign actors have a right to inquire, we also have a right to report the facts accurately. The insurgency does not discriminate—bullets in a marketplace do not spare a Christian, a Muslim, or even a child.”
He called for a united domestic response to end the insurgency rather than seeking international sympathy.
“We must adopt an all-of-society approach to stop this insurgency and address issues of groupthink. Why run to America when you have a Senate here where you can file petitions? Labeling Nigeria as a country of particular interest will ultimately hurt all of us. Those seeking sympathy abroad know exactly why they do it,” Ayuba concluded.
