The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has dismissed reports suggesting that Christians are being systematically killed in the country, describing such claims as misleading and lacking factual basis.
This reaction comes after American TV host Bill Maher alleged that a “Christian genocide” was taking place in Nigeria, blaming Islamic extremists for the violence. Maher had said over 100,000 Christians had been killed since 2009 and thousands of churches destroyed by Boko Haram, adding that the situation was “a clear attempt to wipe out the Christian population.”
Similarly, United States Senator Ted Cruz accused Nigerian authorities of “turning a blind eye” to the killing of Christians by jihadist groups. He stated that Christians in some parts of the country were being forced to accept Islamic laws and that the government must be held accountable. Cruz said he had introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act in the U.S. Senate to sanction officials complicit in such actions.
Also, Congressman Riley Moore urged the U.S. government to designate Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern.” He called for the suspension of arms sales to Nigeria until stronger actions were taken to end the alleged persecution of Christians.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Presidency has repeatedly denied any claims of genocide against Christians, stressing that the security challenges in the country affect people of all faiths and ethnic groups.
Speaking on the issue, the CAN Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, admitted that killings have continued across the country but insisted they were not directed at Christians alone.
“All I will say to you is that there are verifiable facts everywhere showing that the killings in Nigeria have no clear pattern,” Ayuba said. “In states like Benue, it may look like Christians are being attacked, but many Muslims have also been killed, even while praying in their mosques.”
He added that some groups exaggerate the crisis for foreign sympathy. “Foreign interests are free to comment, but we also have the right to tell our own story. The bullets don’t look for Christians or spare Muslims,” Ayuba explained.
The CAN official emphasized that Nigerians must unite to address insecurity instead of seeking international sympathy. “If you fire a gun in a market, the bullets don’t ask for religion or tribe. What we need now is collective action to end these killings,” he said.
Ayuba further urged individuals making such claims abroad to use Nigeria’s legislative system to raise their grievances rather than seeking foreign intervention. “When they label Nigeria as a country of concern, it affects everyone. Those who go abroad for sympathy know their reasons,” he concluded.