By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), 19 Northern States and FCT, has called on the Federal Government to immediately compensate victims of the recent mass killings in Benue State, warning that continued bloodshed in the country’s food belt risks triggering national food crises.
In a statement released Tuesday and jointly signed by the Chairman, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, and the Secretary-General, Bishop Mohammed Naga, CAN decried the killing of over 200 persons in Yelewata, Guma Local Government Area, as “a humanitarian tragedy that cannot be ignored.”
The group insisted that the attack, one of the deadliest in recent years and similar ones in Gwer West, Apa, and Agatu LGAs have left over 6,500 residents displaced, farmlands abandoned, and food barns destroyed.
“Benue is not only a state of people. It is Nigeria’s food basket of the nation. What is happening there today is a direct threat to our national food security and economy,” CAN stated.
The Christian body, while expressing condolences to Governor Hyacinth Alia, the Tor Tiv, HRM Prof. James Ayatse, and the Ochi’Idoma, HRM Agabaidu Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John, emphasized the need for the government to take urgent steps beyond condolence visits.
“The Federal and State Governments must, as a matter of justice, offer prompt and meaningful compensation to families of the slain, and those whose homes, farmlands, and food stores have been destroyed. The people of Benue deserve more than sympathy; they deserve justice and restoration,” the statement added.
CAN also faulted the characterization of the violence as mere “farmer-herder clashes,” noting that many of the victims were innocent civilians including women, children, and clergy, who were brutally attacked in their homes or while returning from local markets.
Ahead of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s planned visit to the state, the religious body urged him to prioritize a decisive, intelligence-led security response, warning that failure to act would only embolden more attacks and deepen national instability.
They further appealed to traditional rulers and community leaders to unite for peaceful coexistence, while calling on humanitarian agencies and development partners to scale up relief interventions for displaced persons.
“Normalizing these killings is unacceptable. Nigeria must reject the culture of silence in the face of bloodshed. Our collective humanity is on trial,” CAN warned.
The group reaffirmed its commitment to supporting initiatives that promote justice, national unity, and sustainable peace, pledging to continue engaging with all stakeholders for the safety of citizens, especially in the North Central region.
