News and Events

The Christian Association of Nigeria on Friday expressed concern over the continuous persecution of its members, particularly pastors, and demanded that the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), should intervene in the clampdown on churches because “his studied silence is no longer golden.”

While threatening to resist any attempt to turn Nigeria to a refugee camp for Christians, the organisation condemned the harassment of the fiery pastor and General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleiman, by the Department of State Services in Ekiti State.

Introduction

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It is necessary for a better understanding of the subject to state briefly the constitutional history of Nigeria.  Prof Ben Nwabueze has suggested that Nigeria was not a state until amalgamation in 1914. He contends that “the central legacy bequeathed to Africa by colonialism is the organism known as a state in its strict signification.”[1]  The state of development of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria, prior to amalgamation is clearly stated in Lugard’s Documentary Record compiled by Kirk-Greene.  With respect to the South, Lugard wrote: “the South was, for the most part, held in thrall by fetish worship and the hideous ordeals of witchcraft, human sacrifice and twin murder.

On Thursday December 22nd, the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, met with President Muhammadu Buhari to secure the President's backing to declare a 24 hour Curfew in three local government areas of Southern Kaduna State namely: Jema'a, Kaura and Sanga. However, it is relaxed to 12 hours on Christmas day. The reason for the curfew is already public news. Nevertheless, the timing is deceptive and the reasons misleading. As a Southern Kaduna citizen, who lives in Plateau State but in touch with what is going on in Southern Kaduna, I am very troubled. The path our Governor is pursuing will not lead to peace but more animosity, nurturing distrust laced with security miss-steps.  My concerns are three-fold:

To:  All Christians in Nigeria and Diaspora. 

Gentlemen of the Press,

I bring you greetings in the precious name of our Redeemer and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen. I have been directed by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rev. Dr. Samson Olasupo A Ayokunle to bring to your attention the on-going ethnic/religious cleansing of Nigerian Christians in general and those of southern Kaduna in particular in the last few weeks. 

Official Position Of The Nigeria Christian Graduate Fellowship On The Southern Kaduna Genocide/Ethnic Cleansing

The recent attacks and sacking of many communities in southern Kaduna, Kaduna State by the Fulani herdsmen raises these pertinent questions; Are the attacks motivated by quest for pasture land or are they motivated by quest for ethnic cleansing/genocide?

 If the answer to the first question is positive, one would like to see a situation where the herdsmen graze on their lands and then pass on to other greener pastures. 

Once again the Southern Kaduna Peoples' Union (SOKAPU) has had to painfully send out condolences to the murdered people of Goska village in Jema'a Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Ironically, on a day that our people ought to be joyously celebrating the Christmas festivities, was the day they were reduced to burying their loved ones, treating the wounded in hospitals and coping with a fresh batch of internally displaced people of Goska village whose houses were burnt down. 

Baroness Cox: there's 'a disconnect at every level' between southern and northern Nigerian churches

Christians in the south of Nigeria are failing to help their persecuted compatriots in the north, according to a veteran humanitarian campaigner.

British peer, Baroness Caroline Cox, who has made numerous aid missions to the country, including a recent trip, told World Watch Monitor: “My personal view is that many of those churches are immensely wealthy and I would hope they could do more to help those who are suffering in the north, particularly the internally displaced people who are left.”

PREAMBLE

We, the Clergy, Religious and Laity of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, welcome you to the Cathedral of St Peter Clavers. We are here to present to the world, the pains, agony and sorrows that have befallen us in this part of the State, the Southern Senatorial Zone of Kaduna State. Unfortunately, this crisis of tremendous proportion is happening at the time when, our Chief Shepherd, Most Rev Joseph Bagobiri is far away, outside the shores of this country attending to his health.

Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kaduna State chapter, has opened up on the Court case between Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, (PFN) Church, on the controversial executive bill before Kaduna State House of Assembly, saying, its position is neither hidden nor changed.

Speaking to our correspondent in an interview, the State Secretary of CAN, Sunday Ibrahim, said the position of the Association is very clear and unhidden about the executive bill seeking to regulate religious activities in the state.