The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has provided emergency aid to survivors of recent violent attacks in Plateau State’s Bokkos and Bassa communities, while strongly condemning what it describes as systematic violence against Christian populations.
CAN Vice President Rev. Stephen Panya led a delegation to distribute building materials, food supplies, and hygiene products to displaced families on Thursday, following deadly assaults that left multiple casualties. “These calculated attacks represent the worst form of inhumanity,” Panya stated during the visit, rejecting official characterizations of the violence as communal clashes.
The religious body accused unidentified armed groups of conducting “premeditated acts of genocide” against Christian communities under cover of darkness, using sophisticated weaponry. While acknowledging government efforts to address the crisis, CAN urged President Bola Tinubu to intensify security measures, warning that delayed justice emboldens perpetrators.
Panya referenced biblical passages to underscore the organization’s stance, maintaining faith in divine justice while calling for concrete human action. “When criminal elements operate freely while citizens mourn repeated losses, our nation’s future grows dim,” he cautioned, appealing for proactive military operations against the attackers.
The relief mission comes amid escalating insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt region, where competing claims over land and resources frequently trigger violence. CAN’s intervention highlights growing frustration among religious groups over perceived government inaction, even as security forces continue counterinsurgency operations across affected states.
Plateau State officials have yet to respond to CAN’s genocide allegations, though both federal and state authorities have pledged to restore order in the restive region. The distribution included essential supplies for households displaced by the attacks, with CAN representatives offering spiritual comfort alongside material support.
