Christian youths urge Tinubu to end killings, warn against Boko haram reintegration
The Youth Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (YOWICAN) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take swift and decisive action to halt the persistent killings and attacks on Christian communities across the country.
Speaking during the CRC–N National Youth Fellowship Convention in Donga, Taraba State, the National Secretary of YOWICAN, Elder Bako Adashu Elijah, said the government must urgently reform the nation’s security system to rebuild public trust and deliver justice to victims.
In a statement jointly signed by YOWICAN leaders from Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, and the North East Zone, the Christian youths expressed alarm over the rising insecurity in parts of the country, lamenting that Christian communities in the Middle Belt and North-East have suffered repeated attacks without adequate response.
“The Constitution states clearly that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” Elijah said. “Sadly, that promise has not been met. Killings, kidnappings, and community destruction have become daily realities, while perpetrators roam freely.”
The group also weighed in on the recent global debate on alleged genocide in Nigeria, urging the Federal Government to see such concerns as a wake-up call rather than an attack on sovereignty. “When the US President mentioned terrorism and genocide in Nigeria, our leaders reacted defensively instead of reflecting. His comment should be a call to responsibility,” Elijah added.
Highlighting incidents in Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Taraba, and Adamawa, YOWICAN said thousands had been killed and entire villages wiped out. They cited the murder of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto and the continued captivity of Leah Sharibu as stark reminders of intolerance and injustice.
The group condemned the government’s “empty statements” on insecurity, demanding a total overhaul of the security leadership and cautioning against reintegrating repentant Boko Haram members into the military. “That would endanger national security and insult the victims,” Elijah warned.
YOWICAN further demanded fair representation of Christians in governance, saying no region or religion should dominate others. The group pledged to continue supporting the government’s peace efforts but urged leaders to remember that “power is transient, but posterity is eternal.”