Sultan, Association Differ Over Genocide Against Christians

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) person differed connected the statement implicit genocide against Christians.

While the Sultan declared that Nigeria had not recorded immoderate genocide of quality beings, whether successful a radical of Christians oregon Muslim faithful, CAN accused the Presidency of twisting facts and misrepresenting its presumption connected the ongoing sidesplitting of Christians crossed the country, insisting that what was happening successful respective parts of Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt amounted to a ‘Christian genocide’.
Sultan made the declaration yesterday successful Birnin Kebbi during the opening of the Northern Traditional Rulers Assembly Meeting, Kebbi 2025.

He said, “There is nary mode that somebody, either a Muslim oregon a Christian, volition beryllium killed without the cognition of the accepted rulers of the assemblage wherever specified a idiosyncratic belongs.

“I challenged anybody successful the state oregon adjacent overseas connected specified genocide activities successful Nigeria connected where, who and however it happened?”

Sultan Sa’ad, however, cautioned the nationalist against believing quality disseminated by societal media platforms.

According to him, astir of the postings made by societal media users were not true, and they had to beryllium checked earlier radical believed them.

He called connected the national authorities to modulate the activities of societal media practitioners successful the state arsenic soon arsenic possible.

But a gathering intended to foster dialog betwixt CAN and the Presidency has erupted into a nationalist dispute, with CAN condemning the presidency implicit what it calls a “completely false” and “grossly unfair” portrayal of its presumption connected the killings of Christians successful the country.

CAN accused the Presidency of twisting facts and misrepresenting its presumption connected the ongoing killings of Christians crossed the country, insisting that what is happening successful respective parts of Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt amounts to a ‘Christian genocide’.

In a connection signed by its president, Archbishop Daniel Okoh yesterday, CAN said that it did not, astatine immoderate point, disregard oregon picture the wide killings arsenic a ‘so-called Christian genocide’, arsenic claimed successful a property merchandise reportedly issued by Barr. Daniel Bwala, peculiar advisor to the President connected Media and Policy Communication.

According to the statement, the contention followed Bwala’s sojourn to the CAN Secretariat astatine the National Christian Centre, Abuja, connected Monday, during which helium sought to recognize CAN’s presumption connected remarks made by United States Senator Ted Cruz, who described the persistent killings of Christians successful Nigeria arsenic a ‘Christian genocide’.

“CAN made it wide that its presumption connected this contented has agelong been established and remains unchanged. Across galore parts of Northern Nigeria and the Middle Belt, Christian communities person suffered repeated, organised and brutal attacks which person near thousands dead, villages destroyed and families displaced.

“These are not isolated crimes but a continuing signifier of unit that has persisted for years without justness oregon closure,” the CAN president said.

The Christian relation expressed disappointment implicit the Presidency’s consequent merchandise titled ‘Presidency Debunks Western Christian Genocide Narrative successful Dialogue with CAN Leadership’.

CAN said the study falsely suggested that Archbishop Okoh had downplayed the killings by describing them arsenic a ‘so-called Christian genocide’.

“That portrayal is wholly mendacious and grossly unfair. The gathering was recorded by CAN’s media team, and astatine nary constituent did Archbishop Okoh usage specified words oregon explicit specified a view.

“Referring to the calamity arsenic a ‘so-called genocide’ trivialises the symptom of countless Christians who person mislaid loved ones, homes and places of worship successful targeted attacks,” Okoh said.

The Christian assemblage added that during the meeting, Bishop Mike Akpami, its Director of Planning, Research and Strategy, presented verified information from www.orfa.africa showing accordant and targeted attacks connected Christians crossed respective regions of Africa, including Nigeria.

Those contiguous astatine the gathering included Archbishop Daniel Okoh, President; Rev. (Dr.) Stephen Panya Baba, Vice President; Apostle (Prof.) Samson Fatokun, General Secretary; Dean Rev. Emmanuel Nicodemus Ozumba, Director of Education, Women and Youth; Dame Comfort Otera Chigbue (Esq), Director of Legal and Public Affairs; Bishop Mike Akpami, Director of Planning, Research and Strategy; Prophet Commodore Abimbola Ayuba, Director of National Issues and Social Welfare; Rev. Dr. Simon Dolly, Secretary, North Central Zone; and Dr. Victor Ivoke, Senior Special Assistant to the CAN President.

For the avoidance of doubt, CAN clarified that Re...