The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Saturday lauded United States President Donald Trump’s claim that Christians are being systematically targeted and killed in Nigeria.
Elijah Bako, the National Secretary of YOWICAN, praised his suggested involvement during a speech at the National Youth Fellowship Convention in Abuja, stating that it is a timely “wake-up call” to authorities rather than an attack on national sovereignty.
Zonal and state CAN youth leaders from the Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, and the Northeast were present.
Chronicle NG reports that Trump threatened to go “guns-a-blazing” if the purported killings persisted on his Truth Social platform.
In his speech, Bako bemoaned the “breaking point” reached by the surge of murders, abductions, church destruction, and forced relocation of Christian communities in sections of the Middle Belt and the North.
Quoting the 1999 Constitution, Bako reminded political leaders that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” emphasizing that the reality on the ground implies the reverse.
“Killings, kidnappings, and destruction of communities have become daily occurrences while those responsible walk freely.
“Despite overwhelming evidence of targeted attacks against Christian communities, the government action remains weak or nonexistent,” he said.
Trump’s comments on terrorism and genocide in Nigeria, according to Bako, should encourage Nigerian leaders to reflect rather than respond defensively.
He claims that attacks in the states of Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Taraba, and Adamawa are “part of a deliberate pattern to erase Christian presence from the region” rather than being isolated incidents.
He described Leah Sharibu and Deborah Samuel as national emblems of perseverance in the face of persecution, citing their experiences.
“Our call is simple: Let there be justice, let there be peace, and let Nigeria rise again as a nation where faith is not a crime and human life is sacred,” Bako declared.
The statement was made just days after Senator Seriake Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, supported Trump’s warning, claiming the former US president just brought attention to an issue that has killed thousands of Nigerians.
In a statement titled “Alleged Genocide: My Stance On President Trump’s Statement,” Dickson stressed that while Nigeria’s sovereignty must be respected, global cooperation is necessary to confront extremist violence.
Dickson remembered that for nearly 15 years, Boko Haram, ISWAP, and affiliated terrorist networks have “wreaked unimaginable havoc,” stressing that the violence has impacted individuals of many ethnic and religious backgrounds.
In the meantime, President Bola Tinubu assured Nigerians on Thursday that his administration was already diplomatically interacting with world leaders regarding Trump’s comments and that the government would not permit outside parties to interfere with domestic choices.
Following the swearing in of two new ministers, Tinubu informed the audience at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja that the battle against terrorism is still on track.
“We assure all of you that we will defeat terrorism in this country,” Tinubu said, adding that Nigeria is moving toward greater stability and economic recovery.
The president’s remarks came after some Northern organizations rejected US conservatives’ demands to repeal Sharia law, arguing that religious and cultural sovereignty must be preserved.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
