…Pledge sustained advocacy
…“Your presence is Christ sitting with us” – Gov. Alia
By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) from the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory has condemned the continued killings in Benue State, describing the tragedy as a national emergency that requires sincere dialogue and urgent government intervention.
The condemnation was issued in a statement on Friday by Northern CAN Chairman, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, following a condolence visit by a high-powered delegation to the state.
The delegation, comprising CAN chairmen, secretaries, youth and women leaders from across the North and the FCT, was received at the Government House in Makurdi by Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia.
In his address, Rev. Hayab rejected the popular narrative labeling the crisis as “herders-farmers clashes,” stating that such framing oversimplifies the violence and obscures its real causes.
“This is not a herders-farmers crisis, and we must stop describing it as such,” Hayab said. “If you don’t make the right diagnosis, you’ll never administer the right treatment. We must call these killings what they are and confront the situation with honesty and courage.”
He added that while Northern CAN had previously issued press statements condemning the violence, the visit was a more tangible demonstration of solidarity with the people of Benue, whom he described as “the food basket of the nation and a pillar of Nigeria’s stability.”
“Beyond our prayers, we will continue to speak truth to power and engage national leaders on these sensitive issues until meaningful change is achieved,” he stressed.
In his response, Governor Alia expressed deep gratitude to the delegation, describing the visit as a divine act that brought comfort, spiritual strength, and healing to a state in mourning.
“As I was shaking hands with each of you and feeling your warmth, I thought: ‘I am because you are, and you are because I am.’ That is the essence of Christianity—the love Christ preached,” he said.
He added that the delegation’s presence symbolized Christ himself sitting with the people of Benue in their pain.
“You are not just sitting here. Christ is seated in every chair you occupy. That’s how much this visit means to me and to the good people of Benue,” he said.
Governor Alia lamented the scale of the killings and underscored the sacredness of human life.
“Even one life lost is one too many. But when the numbers keep rising, you ask yourself, ‘What is happening?’ Your visit, prayers, and presence reflect the good things God is bringing out of a bad situation,” he said.
He urged the Christian community to remain steadfast in praying for peace in Benue and across Nigeria.
