Key Points

• CAN accuses the Presidency of twisting its statement on Christian killings.

• Archbishop Okoh says the attacks in the North and Middle Belt amount to genocide.

• The group urges the government to act fairly and speak responsibly.

The Christian Association of Nigeria says the Presidency misrepresented its position on the killing of Christians across the country.

It insists the attacks happening in several states in the North and Middle Belt are systematic and amount to what it calls a “Christian genocide.”

Archbishop Daniel Okoh, the president of CAN, said in a statement that the group never referred to the killings as a “so-called Christian genocide.”

That phrase, he said, appeared in a press release attributed to Daniel Bwala, the president’s special adviser on media and policy communication.

CAN clarifies what happened

Bwala had visited the CAN Secretariat at the National Christian Centre in Abuja on Monday.

During the visit, he asked to understand CAN’s view on comments made by U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who described the killings of Christians in Nigeria as genocide.

Okoh said CAN’s position hasn’t changed. “Across parts of Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, Christian communities have faced repeated, organized, and brutal attacks,” he said.

“Thousands have been killed. Villages have been destroyed. Families have been forced to flee. These are not isolated crimes but a long-running pattern of violence that continues without justice.”

CAN reacts to presidential press release

The controversy began after the Presidency released a statement titled Presidency Debunks Western Christian Genocide Narrative in Dialogue with CAN Leadership.

CAN said that statement falsely claimed Okoh had described the killings as a “so-called Christian genocide.”

“That portrayal is false and unfair,” Okoh said. “The meeting was recorded by CAN’s media team, and at no point did I use such words.

Calling it a ‘so-called genocide’ downplays the suffering of thousands of Christians who’ve lost loved ones, homes, and churches in targeted attacks.”

CAN shares data and names of attendees

During the meeting, Bishop Mike Akpami, CAN’s Director of Planning, Research, and Strategy, presented verified data from orfa.africa showing consistent and targeted attacks on Christians across multiple regions, including Nigeria.

Those who attended the meeting included Okoh, Rev. (Dr.) Stephen Panya Baba, Apostle (Prof.) Samson Fatokun, Rev. Emmanuel Nicodemus Ozumba, Dame Comfort Otera Chigbue, Bishop Mike Akpami, Prophet Commodore Abimbola Ayuba, Rev. Dr. Simon Dolly, and Dr. Victor Ivoke.

CAN clarified that Rev. Dr. Uzoaku Williams and Dr. Celestine Aharanwa, whose names appeared in some reports, weren’t part of the meeting.

Okoh urged the government and security agencies to act with fairness and transparency. “We’re calling on the authorities to stop the killings and bring those responsible to justice,” he said.

“Officials and journalists should also speak with care and empathy. Words matter. They can either heal or make things worse.”

He added that CAN’s push for peace doesn’t mean silence when injustice continues. “Truth has to guide how the Church, the State, and the public relate to each other,” he said.