The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) has reminded the government of the day that they are bound by the Constitution to ensure the protection of lives and property of all citizens without discrimination.
The apex Christian youth association stated this during a press briefing by Eld. Hon. Bako Adashu Elijah, its national secretary, at the CRC-N National Youth Fellowship Convention held in Donga Local Government Area, Taraba State.
It said that it was quite unfortunate that governments at all levels are overlooking this noble constitutional mandate, which has not been matched by reality.
According to them, the Nigerian government has repeatedly failed to live up to its responsibility, as killings, kidnappings, and destruction of communities have become daily occurrences, while those responsible walk freely.
“It is disheartening that despite overwhelming evidence of attacks targeted at Christian communities, there has been little or no decisive action from those entrusted with power,” YOWICAN said.
“When the President of the United States made reference to terrorism and genocide in Nigeria, many of our leaders responded defensively rather than introspectively.
“We must ask: do we truly understand what he is saying? His statement is not an attack on our sovereignty but a wake-up call to a government that seems to have lost grip on its primary responsibility.
“If America says it will stand against terrorism, why are we shouting or protesting? Is that not the very thing we’ve been praying for, for God to raise voices and nations to defend the defenseless?
“The issue is not about foreign interference; it is about truth and justice, the same values upon which any just society must stand.
“The evidence is overwhelming. From Plateau to Benue, from Nasarawa to Taraba, from Kaduna to Adamawa, Christian communities have been repeatedly attacked.
“In Plateau State, several Islamic expansionist agendas have been executed, names of historic Christian communities changed, villages destroyed, and churches desecrated. Over five hundred (500) Christian faithful, mostly women and children, have been killed in cold blood. This is daylight robbery and a gross violation of human dignity.
“In Benue State, under the leadership of former Governor Samuel Ortom, the state witnessed coordinated waves of attacks by Fulani militias on Christian-dominated farming communities. Despite his proactive efforts through the anti-open grazing law, thousands were still displaced and many brutally killed. Today, mass graves and deserted villages bear witness to these atrocities.
“In Nasarawa State, Christian settlements have been repeatedly invaded, farmlands destroyed, and places of worship burnt. Many have been forced to relocate due to constant intimidation and violence.
“In Southern Kaduna, hundreds of Christians have been massacred in the last few years. Entire villages have been wiped out overnight, women and children hacked to death, and communities forced to pay ransom to live on their ancestral lands. These are not isolated incidents but part of a deliberate pattern to erase Christian presence from the region.
“In Taraba State, communities such as Ussa, Yagtu Special Development Area, and parts of Takum have been completely displaced by Fulani jihadists, forcing thousands of Christian families to flee their ancestral homes. Many now live as internally displaced persons without shelter, food, or hope, while their farmlands and villages remain occupied by their attackers. This is a humanitarian tragedy that calls for both government intervention and global attention.
“In Sokoto State, the world watched in horror as Miss Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a young Christian student, was brutally murdered by a mob in broad daylight, accused of blasphemy simply because she professed the Christian faith. To this day, justice has not been served, and such silence only emboldens others to commit similar atrocities.
“Similarly, in the case of Miss Leah Shaibu, who was abducted by Boko Haram terrorists in 2018 alongside her classmates in Dapchi, Yobe State, she remains in captivity to date because she refused to renounce her Christian faith. Her unwavering courage stands as a symbol of faith, resilience, and conviction in the face of persecution, yet her continued detention is a glaring reminder of government inaction and religious intolerance in our nation.
“It is now common to see Fulani herdsmen carrying AK-47 rifles openly, as though some citizens have more rights than others.
“A clear example of injustice can also be seen in Adamawa State, where Mr. Sunday Jackson, a Christian farmer who defended himself from being attacked by armed herdsmen, was sentenced to death by a court. What if he had been killed instead? His only ‘crime’ was being a Christian who refused to die silently. This must stop.
“Videos and reports abound of Christian villages being overrun while the authorities look away. Each time these terrorists launch an attack, they are heard chanting ‘Allahu Akbar.’ Is this not genocide? What then is genocide?
The youth group said the most painful part is that the government has done nothing beyond issuing empty statements of condemnation, adding that leaders have chosen politics over people.
“These terrorists, bandits, or jihadist militias are not faceless, they are being covered and supported to execute the agenda of their paymasters. How can we continue like this as a nation? We sing the national anthem yet act in direct contradiction to its values of peace, unity, and justice,” they added.
